12 Years Ago
by ZombieVampireAuthor
Summary: The day Jenny opened that door, not all the boogeymen had been completely trapped. Will this certain Shadow Man befriend the young girl? Or is he just as evil as his ancestors?-A take on their first meeting going a little differently. Follow five year old Jenny as she meets the Prince of Darkness all the way into a new game, bringing along love and hate, good and evil.
1. Chapter 1

At five years old, Jenny knew she was never allowed in that room. The tripled locked basement door had always been too dangerous to even look at, apparently. Yet, it was just one day when Jenny was dropped off a little early.

The plane ride was long, so the day was coming to an end, but Jenny was too eager to be tired. She came dressed in a yellow sundress and small flip-flops, and her hair was one messy shade of blonde. She was expecting her grandfather waiting there in the kitchen for her with a big bowl of vanilla ice cream, like always. However, the room was empty.

And the basement door was open.

At first, young Jenny only stood there, confused and curious. She slowly approached the door and merely examined the undone locks that were normally closed tight. She started to question it and she opened her mouth to call for her grandfather. It was then that she heard the scream.

It was very abrupt. It was elderly and _painful_.

Jenny jumped, fear consuming her for a second. With the next scream, she opened the door.

Her grandfather was there, straight down the stairs and behind the third bookcase. He was struggling with something and his arms were red. Something wasn't right. The vision of him was blurry and he shouted again.

Jenny didn't understand; especially when ice started to crawl out onto the floor from the bookcase.

"Grandpa," she called desperately.

Her grandfather could barely glance back before something painful struck him again and he groaned. "Run!" was all he could choke out.

Jenny only stood frozen in place as her grandfather locked his back leg and shoved his entire weight into whatever laid behind the bookcase. But there shouldn't be anything behind there. There shouldn't be cuts on his arm. There shouldn't be a white swirling storm rising through the air before her grandfather.

Terror filled Jenny's throat so she could no longer scream, but somehow she was running down the stairs. She tried to call out again, but there was suddenly a large gust of wind. It was cold and powerful and _black_ and it knocked Jenny right off her feet. She screamed now and her grandfather tried to look at her.

"Jenny, go! **Now**!"

She was starting to cry, but her tears literally froze on her cheeks. The black tendrils came spilling from the door that rested hidden behind the bookcase. It was bending awkwardly for a door, like something large and powerful was pushing against it from the other side. The edges were entirely frozen with bulky ice pieces while the white storm continued to break through the cracks. The room was beginning to tremble and small things around the room started to freeze into solid ice-the books on the desk, small ornaments from the bookcases.

Her grandfather was desperately pushing against it with all his weight, trying to get the door to close once again. But the spilling ice was scratching at his arms, like violent hands clawing for freedom. It ripped through his sleeves until his arms were soaked in his own blood.

His arms were staining the light snow on the floor. His face was tight and red with pain. He was holding back sobs. His feet were slipping on ice. And he was starting to weaken. Somehow, seeing her grandfather in so much pain scared Jenny far beyond a five year old's control.

She actually got up and jumped at the door.

She, too, started pushing, although her grandfather started to scream at her. "No, Jenny, go back! Run!"

Instantly, ice whipped across her tiny hands and cut them right open. She screamed and pulled back, but she jammed her shoulder into the door and continued to push.

It was freezing and bloody and _strong_. She could hear the fierce winds from a storm raging from behind it, but all she could see were the black icy strands spreading across the wall from the top of the door, coming down toward her. She felt her hair grow crisp and the ice slipped under her flip flops. She started to panic until her grandfather cornered her against the door. With her there, he was able to use the bookcase as a leverage and the door began to move.

He shouted, "Push!"

At that, Jenny shoved into the frozen wood as much as she could. She was trying not to cry, while her grandfather was screaming words that Jenny did not understand. It was cold and it was painful. Yet, somehow her grandfather gave one last shove and the door gave in.

Instantly her grandfather pulled out the knife from his back pocket and stabbed it viciously into the wood. He drew a fierce X into the wood, then smeared the blood from his arms over the letter until it was a sickening crimson. He shouted right above Jenny, "_Nauthiz! Nauthiz_!"

Something from beneath Jenny's fingers pulsated so hard that it threatened to push her back. She was slipping on the ice and she would've fallen back if it weren't for her grandfather posted firmly behind her. The door was creaking and it seemed it was starting to freeze, but Jenny couldn't pull away. The white storm was in front of her now, but there was nothing else for her to do except stand there, frightened and shocked as she watched something only a five year old could believe.

Something tense and bright pulsed from the door, an immense power building up right under her bloody fingertips. It was enormous and strong and entirely blinding, but within the rushing black mist, little Jenny saw two red lights-no, they weren't lights. They were larger, brighter-they were eyes, she realized; **demonic **eyes, that were coming right at her. It was so terrifyingly real that she couldn't scream when the power exploded from the door's rim in a violent storm. Snow and ice shards and a ghostly black mist whirled all around the room like a raging beast until it quickly faded through the ceiling, sending a terrible chill through the air. The door flickered with a deep moan afterwards, then settled calmly back into the wall.

Her grandfather immediately scooped her up, closed the bookcase back over the door with his back, and carried her upstairs. Although Jenny asked a million questions, he never said a word. He simply carried her into the kitchen, rinsed his arms, cleaned Jenny's scratches, then his own. He finally set her down at the kitchen table and brought out something Jenny had least expected.

The bowl of vanilla ice cream seemed like a joke now considering the ice melting in the basement below. She had stopped crying and simply stared at her grandfather who sat across from her, hands folded and eyes closed. He was quiet for a long time, thinking and trying to breathe right again. Finally, he grabbed Jenny gently by her scratched hand and poke calmly.

"Sweetie-"

"What was that, grandpa? Tell me, please?"

"Just listen…" He went quiet again before he got the right words. "You know those stories your mother and I read to you at night?" Jenny nodded. "Well… some of them are different. Some of them are real, but…they're…not so nice."

"Like the Bogeyman?"

Slowly her grandfather nodded. "Yeah, like the Bogeyman. They like my basement. That's why you are never allowed in there. You understand? And you are not allowed to tell anyone about this."

Jenny squinted. "Why not?"

"You just can't, Jenny. It-It's special. Okay?" When Jenny pouted, his voice grew sterner and he made her look into his eyes. "You're not going to tell anyone. If you do, you will never visit me again. Got it?"

"But grandpa!"

"Do you want to go home?"

"No! Please don't, grandpa!"

Her grandfather sighed, then pushed her bowl closer to her. "Then eat up. We…have some gardening to do later."

Jenny took the treat and accepted the argument like any other child would do when threatened with something they wanted. Although she said she'd stay quiet, watching her grandfather bandage up his arms was far too unforgettable to simply ignore. Her hands were sore, her knees were scratched up, and she could still feel the ice in her hair. Yet, Jenny silently ate her ice cream.

Upstairs, the first room on the right seemed small since it was crowded with foreign stuffed animals and dolls. There were the piles of toys around the room, a small bed, a child's dresser, and something that Jenny had never touched. It was one of those cupboard doors in the corner of the room, usually in lofts or attics. As far as Jenny knew it was full of more toys, but it was always in the darkest corner of her room, so she was always too scared to go near it.

Since the incident, a new toy had been added in her room. A weird symbol on something like a blue star nailed firmly into her door. She noticed it every time she walked into her room and frankly she didn't like it. Yet, her grandfather told her to keep it up. "It's a special protection charm," he said. "To keep the Bogeymen away. Okay?"

But the charm didn't prevent the Bogeymen from invading her dreams at night, turning her childish visions into horrible nightmares. All she would see was snow and blood, and her grandfather amid it all until the red eyes came flashing at her. She'd wake up screaming and crying until her grandfather rocked her back to sleep. For the next few nights it happened that way. Jenny could never sleep through the entire night without seeing the eyes and waking up terrified.

On the fifth night, however, the nightmare changed slightly. She could see the blood and the darkness that brought far too many fears for a little girl. Yet, instead of the crimson eyes hurling menacingly at her, everything brightened a little, and she saw blue. A pair of blue eyes, but it was amazing. Only princesses or fairies had that kind of blue. That beautiful, impossible gaze. It calmed the storm in her dream, took away all the blood and rewound the pain. Somehow, those blue eyes made everything the way it was supposed to be. She still awoke with a jolt, only this time, she didn't scream.

It was late and dark. Jenny immediately started to cry because she didn't understand. It was scary, and now she was alone in the dark, and it was cold, and she didn't understand. Still, she didn't scream or cry for her grandfather. He had been working in the basement all day, and he probably wouldn't hear her from down there even if she tried. Thus, she curled up her knees into the back corner of her bed, buried her face, and cried quietly.

The silence settled in like the fear does with the night. Jenny was hiccupping and wiping her face when she heard it. It sounded like a breeze from her window, a soft whisper. But a voice grew behind it into disoriented words. Somehow, she heard it.

"Please, don't cry."

Jenny quickly lifted her head, thinking maybe her grandfather had hear her.

But her door was closed, and she was still alone.

She sat still for a moment, then asked, "Who's there?"

There was only silence.

Jenny looked around the room and realized she should turn on the lights. It was dark and cold and very quiet. But the switch seemed too far away and anything could grab her from the long distance from the end of her bed to the door. She sat still for a while, continuing to hiccup, but distracted from crying.

Then the wind-like voice came again. "You…can hear…me?"

It sounded very far away, but very smooth. It seemed different than a normal voice. It was soft and young, but unique. Beautiful almost. Like mystical tones wrapped together in perfect harmony.

From what Jenny could tell, it sounded like a boy.

"Who are you?" Jenny said quickly. She jumped off the bed even faster, ignoring any chance of a monster grabbing her from underneath. "Why are you in my room? _Where_ are you?" When the voice didn't answer, Jenny ran to her door.

"Wait!" it called quickly. "Don't leave…Not yet."

Jenny stopped at her door. Quickly, she flicked on the lights. Nothing revealed itself from the shadows. "Why not?"

There was a moment of silence again. "I…wish to talk… to you…"

Jenny stood at her door for a moment. Her hands were feeling sore again, but she had stopped crying. She searched the dull room with her eyes. "Who are you? Why can't I see you?"

The voice hesitated. "It's complicated…"

Jenny rubbed her face dry, suddenly interested in this very whimsical voice that echoed gently through her room. "Well, are you a boy or a girl?"

"I'm a male."

Jenny almost laughed. "You talk weird."

"Well…I'm not like you."

Jenny hesitated. Slowly she walked back to her bed. "What do you mean?"

Silence again. Jenny gripped the end frame of her bed until her hands ached again.

"I'm not…human…"

Jenny almost gasped. "Not-uh."

"Don't believe me?"

Jenny hesitated. Was she dreaming? Or was this a fairy tale? A true one, like her grandfather said? Should she go get her grandfather?

But he had said not to talk about it…

"Are you bad?" She asked quickly. "Like, do you steal the princesses or do you help them?"

That breeze came in again, whisking around her in a slight chuckle. His voice was slowly coming in clearer, stronger. "Considering this….recent incident," he asked slowly, "what do you think?"

Jenny still searched the room, but all she saw were shadows. She wanted to look around the room, maybe physically search for him, but the fear of the darkness coming from outside kept her in place. Besides, whatever she was going to find in the closet or under her bed was too frightening to imagine. Instead, she thought about it. A slight chill ran up her spine, giving her goose bumps, and she hugged herself. It was the pain she felt in her hands that made her think about it. The ice-The power-The monsters-

"Are you one of those Bogeymen from the basement?"

The laughing breeze came again, only softer. "You could say that."

Jenny glared then, but she didn't know where to glare. She stood up tall and pointed firmly at the door. "Then get out! I don't like you."

"You don't _know_ me."

"You hurt my grandpa. Get out."

"That wasn't me."

Jenny pouted. "I don't care. I want you to leave."

She could clearly hear his laugh now. It was almost cruel, but not as cold as she expected. "I wouldn't even if the option was available."

"What does _that_ mean?"

"It means I'm stuck," the "boy" said simply, but with a little enthusiasm in his tone. "Here. With you. Your grandfather trapped me here."

"In the basement?"

"You could say that."

Jenny crossed her arms stubbornly. It was too confusing for her to figure out. All she knew was that she was tired, her hands and her eyes were sore, and she wanted…. She wanted to _know_.

"That can't happen."

"Can it?"

"If you're in the basement, how come I can hear you?"

His voice tweaked a little, like it was unsure of its own answer. "Let's just say I'm strong enough to send my voice this far…"

Jenny climbed back on her bed, rubbing her hands. "You don't sound very strong. You sound _weird_." He laughed again and Jenny looked around the room curiously. "Can I see you?"

To that, the boy didn't answer. Jenny waited, even called out, but he didn't answer. So Jenny smiled. "I guess you're not so strong after all."

"You have no idea."

Satisfied with the returning voice, Jenny got off the bed again. "Where are you? Can you see _me_?" She started waving her arms around until he answered.

"Yes," he said in a slight chuckle.

Jenny dropped her arms. "Then what do I look like?"

"You're wearing a dress as golden and bright as the sun… Hair as glamorous and beautiful as honey… Eyes as green as emeralds."

Jenny grew a little timid after that. She wasn't expecting that kind of answer. "For a Boogeyman, you don't sound very evil."

"I'm more evil than you'd believe."

"How come?"

"I just am."

"How do I know you're not lying?"

"You'll just have to trust my word then."

Jenny paused. "Can I trust you?" she asked honestly.

The boy took a moment, too. "No," he said blankly. "Not at all."

Jenny stood still for a moment. She was thinking of other things to ask, things she wanted to find out, but ended up yawning widely. The day had been long and she hadn't gotten much sleep before this incident occurred.

"Do you sleep?" she asked quietly.

"Not exactly."

Jenny sat back on her bed. "Are you real?"

The voice actually got quiet. "I don't know." He sounded a lot weaker now.

"Are you going to hurt me?"

There was a long pause that little Jenny didn't know how to feel about. There wasn't even an attempt of an answer. Too tired to figure it out, Jenny wrapped herself in the hand-woven blanket, but refused to lay down just yet. She asked instead, "If a princess fell asleep in front of you, would you kidnap her?"

He answered, "Depends…."

Jenny laid down, yawning again. "On what?"

"It'd have to be a certain princess."

The warmth was too much and sleep started to drag Jenny away. She mumbled, so she didn't think the boy had heard her. But still he answered her.

"How about you call me Julian? But it's all right. I won't hurt you, Jenny. Trust me…."

It was early when Jenny's grandfather came in to wake her up. The sunlight barely penetrated the heavy morning fog and the birds weren't even awake yet to sing, making the room dark and quiet. Her grandfather shook her until she was conscious enough to stand, dressed her in warm clothes, then grabbed a stuffed animal from the bed and carried her downstairs. Jenny was so sleepy that it wasn't until she was in the truck and halfway to the airport that she realized what happened last night.

She sat up fast and tried to look back at the house that was long gone. It was fascinating to a five year old to have spoken with a demon, but was it real?

Was it _safe_?

Jenny looked to her grandfather who was driving. She had opened her mouth, until she saw the bandages on his arms, and she immediately choked down the words. He was the one who told her not to talk about it anyway.

So Jenny looked away and after a moment, she smiled to herself. When her grandfather asked why, she merely shook her head and stayed silent the entire way there.

They returned with _three_ ice cream cones and an extra seat in the car. Jenny had bolted out of the car with her cousin, Zach, where a game of tag was immediately taken place. They ran for endless hours through the yard, around the house, into her room and around her bed-all until Zach tripped and scraped his knee. Then they rested for a while to watch TV, and soon started a game of hide and seek.

A few rounds went by until it was Jenny's turn to hide and she ran upstairs. She was stuck between behind her grandfather's curtains or in the hallway closet when she noticed it. She ran into her room, still searching, and her mind got caught up with last night again. She uttered a small gasp, then looked around carefully.

"Hey," she called softly. "Are you still there?" For a moment there was only silence. "Jul-"

"Ready or not, here I come!"

Jenny jumped, hesitated, then ran back into the hall to hide.

It was a while of playing and eating until their childish energy died away. Jenny fell asleep first, on the couch under her grandfather's arm. She woke up to him lying her down in her bed. The reason Zach wasn't lying with her meant he was still awake, staying up late drawing like he always did.

Sleep had started to take her over when the door clicked closed and her senses jolted awake. She quickly sat up and looked around her room. "Julian?" she tried one more time. The silence was disappointing. Maybe she had imagined it after all.

So she grabbed her stuffed animals and started playing with them. Giving them names and acting out the characters of a inhuman boy and a princess until that whimsical breeze came flowing back to her.

"You remembered my name."

Glee passed over Jenny and she dropped her dolls, looking around the room. "So you _are_ real. Why didn't you answer me earlier?"

Julian didn't answer her question. Instead he asked one of his own. "Who was that boy?"

"Oh, that's just Zach. He's my cousin. Sometimes we share the same bed because the other bed scares him. It's too big and too lonely, he said."

"I could understand that." It came out in a sort of mumble.

Jenny felt like the demon was suddenly sad. "Are you alone?"

For a moment, Julian was silent. "In a way."

"Don't you have a mommy? Or a daddy?"

"I wasn't born. So no." He sounded a little bitter. "I just…exist."

"You _have_ to have a mommy."

"But I don't."

"You don't have any friends?" When he didn't answer, Jenny asked. "You've got to have family. Don't you got a cousin? Or a grandpa?"

"I have my ancestors."

"A what?"

There was a small chuckle. "Imagine them as very old grandfathers."

"Oh. Well, don't they play with you?"

"Not as yours does." Before she could question, he said, "I'm _evil_. Remember, Jenny? I don't play the same games as you."

"Not even hide and seek? Why not?" Julian didn't answer and Jenny protested. "But we're kinda playing it right now! You're already hiding. I'll count to ten and try to find you, okay?"

Julian laughed softly. "It doesn't work like that."

"Yes, it does. I just played it."

"That's not what I meant." Julian tried to explain. "Playing with me-Seeing me. It's dangerous."

"Why?"

"Because I'm _evil_." He stressed the word. "Don't you understand that?"

"But I fell asleep in front of you. You didn't kidnap me…. And if you're like the Bogeymen from the basement, then you can't hurt me, right? Why should I be afraid of you?"

"**Because**," he said tightly. "If you find me….

Jenny waited for him to finish, but he never did. "Well, you wanna play or not?"

"I'll play **any** game with you, Jenny. Any hour. Any day."

And Jenny believed him.

Slowly, she smiled, closed her eyes for a moment, then jumped out of bed. She dropped down and looked under the bed where fear only grabbed her momentarily before the dust revealed itself. Disappointed, she stood up, then ran and checked in the very small space behind her headboard.

"It's not fair if I can't find you, you know," she said stubbornly. "You can see me, soooo… I can find you, right?"

"Remember, I'm not human."

"So what?" Jenny asked. "You can see through walls 'n stuff?" After the long pause, Jenny grew a little worried. "Are you _in_ the _**walls**_?"

"No," he answered in a chuckle. "But I can see all sorts of things."

"Like what?"

"Everything. Even things from other rooms."

"Liar."

"Want proof? Right now that boy just fell asleep and is about to fall."

"Not-uh."

"Don't believe me?"

Jenny hesitated for a moment, then rushed out the door and stopped at the stairs. She paused for a moment before sneaking down a few steps. She wasn't even halfway down when she heard the loud _thump_.

She rushed to the bottom, but didn't let herself be seen. She only peek out far enough to see her grandfather helping Zach up, who was half-asleep and rubbing his face from the floor.

Running back into her room, Jenny giggled as she closed the door and dove back on her bd. "That's so cool! What else can you see? Can you read my mind?"

Julian just laughed. That's when Jenny remembered the game.

"Oh, yeah! I have to find you." She got back up and ran to the window, checking behind the curtains. The darkness outside scared her and made her a little hesitant. "What do you look like?"

There was a small pause from the smooth voice. "Like you," he said eventually. "Two arms, two legs."

"And a head, right? 'Cause that's impossible."

"Is it?" Jenny pouted and he chuckled again. "You'll have to find out," he said and the tease in his tone set up a challenge, a childish challenge that sent Jenny running in glee. She checked in every dresser drawer, behind it, even in the closet. It was when she closed the door that she spotted the other. The door in the back corner of the room, one that she never touched because there was nothing in there-

-or there was _supposed_ to be nothing.

Jenny stood utterly still for a moment, then slowly approached the door. She was suddenly afraid, whether or not he was behind it, the unknown darkness the door made her unable to open it.

"Are you in there?" she asked a little cautiously.

"You could say that."

Jenny tried to look through the slits in the door's shutters, but all she saw were shadows. Curiosity was making her reach for the handle, but the fear made her jump back. "Y-You said you were evil-"

"What leverage do I have to harm you?"

Jenny shamefully looked down and played with her fingers. "I…helped close the door…."

Julian paused. "That's true… Do you not trust me?"

Jenny looked at the door once more, then backed up quietly to her bed and shook her head. "Hm, smart girl."

For a while, Jenny just sat there, staring at the small door, unable to go away nor toward it. "What do you do," she asked quietly, "as a…not-human.…"

"Nothing you do," he answered subtly. "I'm **evil**."

"Do you hurt people?"

Julian paused. "Only some."

"Why?"

"It's just…in my nature. It's the way we are."

Jenny sat up straight. "We?"

"My ancestors."

"Are they the Bogeymen from the basement?"

"Yes."

"And you have to be like them?"

Julian hesitated again. "Yes."

"Well, why don't you be good? You know, help the princess?"

The sudden voice at the door surprised Jenny. "Who are you talking to?"

Jenny turned where Zach stood still, rubbing his eyes and yawning. "N-No one." She ran over, took his hand and pulled him into bed where they laid together to go to sleep. For a while, little Jenny laid there in the dark, staring at the shadow-covered door until the shadows slowly took herself into a deep sleep.

**So yeah! Here's my random writing at what would happen if their first meeting had gone differently :) If people like it, this will continue until they're older, into a whole new game with Julian when they're older :) Please review and ignore any mistakes. Advice is always welcome and yeah. Let me know what you guys think x3**

**till my next update!**

**ZVA**


	2. Chapter 2

The next morning when Zach went off to draw, Jenny stayed in her room to talk. And when her grandfather called her downstairs for the rest of the day, Julian was there when she came back. He talked to her until she fell asleep, greeted her when she woke up and continued to talk until she had to leave once more.

Jenny talked to him every day, and although she always faced that shuttered door in the back of her room, she never once opened it-

And never once had he asked her to.

For the next two weeks it went on like this, and when the end of summer neared, the approach of her return flight home drew closer. Dwelling on it put a dent in the current conversation. Jenny laid on her bed, playing with the bead kit that was sprawled out on the covers. A mix of strings and colorful beads covered her lap as she loosely strung together a tiny bracelet.

"I don't wanna leave," she pouted.

"You could stay, you know."

"Nooooooo. My grandpa won't let me. I always go home when summer's over."

"I meant with me."

Jenny dropped the beads in an instant, her face puzzled as she looked at the still door. "What?"

"My world is different from yours," Julian explained. "If you come here, with me, you could have _anything_."

"Really?"

"Really."

Jenny hesitated for a moment. Anything? But she wasn't supposed to trust him. She knew he was evil, a Boogeyman, and yet, she slid off her bed, beads and string spilling to the floor, and sat in front of the door like the countless times before. "Do your grandpas give all that stuff to you?"

"No, I make things. Remember? I can even make places."

"Not-uh."

"All you have to do is think of it, and I can make it for you. Would you like that?" His tone was suddenly very light, very whimsical. Little Jenny was easily lost in it.

"Can you make Disneyland?"

"Down to the glitter-filled cracks."

"Can I meet _real _princesses?" In a rush of childish glee, she scooted closer to the door, peering right through the slits into the shadows that lay behind it. "The ones who-who have princes and balls and really pretty dresses?"

"I can do better than that."

"How?"

"I can make you a princess, of course." He said it so matter-of-factly that Jenny almost giggled.

"What-You can? Wait, not-uh. Grandpa says I'm just a kid."

"In your world, you are. But in mine…." His voice trailed off in such a playful tone. Jenny felt teased.

"But…where you live, I could be a princess? A real one?"

"With balls, palaces, horses-"

"And dresses?"

"One in every color. All for you, Jenny. I can give you _anything_. You just have to…come with me."

That's when something clicked in Jenny's mind-a bit of stability that reminded her of the scars on her hands with a terrible ache.

"But…Why would you do that? You said-You said you were _evil_."

"I am."

"But…you could make a Princess happy."

"I don't make people happy," he said, his tone tightening, stressing. "I frighten them."

"But don't you want a real Princess? You know, to live with you and stuff? You could be her Prince!"

There was a pause from behind the door. "I told you," his voice came back as light as a breeze. "There's only one Princess."

"Do you already have one?"

"Almost."

"Oh, who is she? Is she pretty?"

"Gorgeous."

"Is she older than me?"

"She will be."

The next thought, Jenny didn't realize exactly what it meant until she asked it. "Are you going to kidnap her?" As she noticed it, the conversation slowly died away. Julian didn't answer her even when she called for him afterwards.

Having been used to the sudden disappearances, Jenny got up and ventured downstairs, taking the bead kit with her. She joined her Grandfather and cousin in the kitchen. What surprised her, however, was to see her Aunt Lily. That meant it was Zach's last day, and if he was going home, so was Jenny.

But to Jenny's young mind, that seemed like weeks from now. She played with her cousin until the cab took him away, and her childish energy remained until dinnertime. She sat at the table, practically standing in her chair as she exclaimed, "And then Zach fell and I won! I'm _so _fast, grandpa!"

"Yes, you are. Now eat your peas, sweetie."

Jenny made a face of disgust as any child would, but did as she was told. Afterwards, the silence drew a heavy curtain in the air. Like the first day, her grandfather put his hands together, and gazed at his granddaughter; more specifically the scars on her hands. A look of concern clouded his eyes.

"Jenny…."

"Hm?"

The older man waited for little Jenny to meet his gaze, but the five year old was too focused on shoveling as much food in her mouth as she could. "Jenny, you know how your cousin went home today?"

"Mm-hm, phuft-"

"Don't talk with food in your mouth. You know better, Jenny."

Jenny answered after she finished swallowing with a wide, greasy smile. "But he's coming back. Next time, we-we both are gonna visit. Like we always do."

"Actually, Jenny…This is the last visit."

The smile fell. "Wh…What?"

"You can't come back next summer. At least…not for a while."

"Why?" It came out in such a loud whine.

"Because I said so, Jenny. Maybe the summer after that, but next time-"

"No."

"Jenny-"

"Nonononononononono! You can't do that!" The fit only increased when Jenny threw her fork to the ground.

Her grandfather came to a stand, immediately calming the storm with the stern presence looming over her. "Jenny, these are the rules and you know you don't break the rules. I will be too busy with work, so you and Zach cannot come back-"

"It's because of those _stupid_ Boogeymen!"

"Jenny! You are to never speak of that-_Jenny_!" He screamed after her when Jenny dove from the table, but he didn't follow her at the sudden ring of the telephone.

It wasn't fair. She _always_ came down here. She always had fun in her visits. Why would he take that away from her? She had just made a new friend, and he was taking everything away. It wasn't _fair_.

Jenny was crying by the time she reached her room, but instead of collapsing into her bed like last time, she kept running. Right to the back of the room, to the door that was never supposed to open, but she was grabbing the handle anyway.

There was some kind of noise, a shout of some sort, right before she opened it, but it was cut off by the terrible throb of a powerful connection shattering. The air pulsed and thrived as if it were alive with electricity, and a rush of cold stopped Jenny in the open doorway.

At first it was like a dust cloud had erupted in the place, covering everything in a haze. Behind it-was nothing; nothing but shadows, as if some kind of still wall of another world was blocking her view in. Then, slowly the shape of the closet began to take form, as if it was being created right before her. The corners developed first, the walls made entirely of shadows, giving the place a dull and empty look, like any color had been sucked out entirely.

As she watched the shadows crawl away from the corners, the floor was slowly exposed and the walls seemed to crowd so close to one another, like they were going to touch. They pushed in till the shadows condensed in the very center, parallel to little Jenny, and formed the small figure. It was slightly taller than her and seemed very distant for a minute. Like some dark fog, the blackness faded to reveal the person-the boy-Julian.

He was definitely older, a teenager in Jenny's eyes, but it was his beauty that struck Jenny the most. Was it possible for a boy to pretty? But he was, with long eyelashes and eyes so blue-bluer than anything Jenny had ever seen, a magical blue, the blue that only Princess have-or Princes. And his hair was _white_. But only old people had white hair, and Julian couldn't be _that _old. Yet, compared to the shadows that seemed to envelope around him, it was as white as snow. It even glistened like snow, very light, very pretty.

His entire presence, suddenly hitting her like that, surprised her so hard that she had forgotten she was crying. They both stood there for a moment, lingering on the border between two different worlds, focusing on nothing but each other's gaze. In that moment, something very foreign, beyond their control, something similar to fate, was forever etched into the stars.

After that moment, the tears overwhelmed Jenny's eyes. She returned to sobbing without even comprehending how or why, and she didn't hesitate on diving into the closet.

Julian flinched instantly upon the moment of contact. _Contact_. He had never been touched before, not like this, not outside a game; and yet here was this mortal little girl wrapping her arms around his waist, squeezing him with such pitiful strength. It was completely foreign to him, a slap to the senses, but he did nothing to stop it. She buried her small face in his gut, crying aloud, "It's not fair! N-N-Not fair-r! He'sstuood-st-stupid!"

For the first time in a few centuries, Julian didn't know what to do. Here he stood, his arms lifted up in the air, standing with this-this…petite beautiful being. He didn't do this kind of thing. He stole souls, _tortured _them, not comforted them. She didn't even understand. That's what was so easy with children; they didn't understand the danger, the consequences. She just released him from his confinement, did so much as to give him permission to _touch_ her. He could do _anything _at this moment. As a Shadow Man, all the cards were just played right into his hand.

Yet, her sobs made something in him churn, something he had never experienced before. Slowly, his arms lowered back down. He hesitated greatly, then let his hands fall upon her shivering back. She felt so _small_ under his fingers, so fragile, compared to what he could do. So fragile that if he gripped her at all she would break under his touch like everything else he had grasped.

What intrigued Julian the most was how warm she was. Such a small being, so pitiful really, was so warm. _Warmth_. Something Julian was clearly not used to. And for a human child she had been so strong. Such bravery when she had shut that door, even behind tears. Even now, hugging something she knew was evil. Evil, he was _evil_.

After a while, Jenny's knees had given out from under her. Julian was catching her before he could question otherwise, supporting her with such ease. He hesitated for another long moment before carefully positioning her against the wall, much like a porcelain doll . He refused to release her as he sat beside her, keeping her tucked under his arm. She stayed there for a while, still clinging to his clothes-which Jenny now noticed were so soft, softer than any kind of normal clothes- while her temper-tantrum slowly died away. As she calmed, the tears stopped, but the hiccups and sniffling dragged on among the whines and stutters for breath. All while, Julian was letting his hands wonder over her, through her hair, down her arms, across her back, amazed just by the touch, like he was reading everything about her with every contact. By the time she had completely stopped crying, Julian's hands had moved to her face, running up her neck to lift her head from his chest. The back of his fingers grazed down her wet cheeks, softer than the touch of gauze, soft enough to make little Jenny open her eyes, staring at the floor.

"Have you….settled down now?" His voice was much smoother now. Being in person made his voice run as smooth as silk.

Stubbornly, Jenny looked away and rubbed her eyes. "He's _stupid_. I hate him."

Julian just smiled, his fingers returning to her hair, feeling each strand glide under his skin. "You know nothing of hate," he spoke so gently to her, so hushed. "But I could teach you."

"Teach me?"

"Yes."

"About hate?"

"Yes."

"That doesn't sound very nice."

Julian chuckled at that, his gaze widening on her for a second. Fascinating, how more interesting she became with every second, more marvelous.

Jenny rubbed her snotty nose on her sleeve and mumbled, "Can you come with me?"

"Would you like me to?"

At that moment, little eyes as green as the Nile surrounded by a bloody red met eyes as blue as ice-and somewhere in the world, time shattered like glass and each shard trickled into a beautiful silence.

Fascinating, _fascinating_! How her look alone captured him, everything about her-never before had this happened…..

As fast as the excitement was building inside Julian, he was able to calm himself. Of course he could. He let his eyelashes droop back into place and he removed his arm from around the young girl. "If you wish for me to teach you," he said carefully, "then I cannot go with you."

Jenny's immediate reaction was to fix the space that he had created between them, her young mind caring not for personal space. "Why not?"

"Those are the rules."

Immediately, Jenny pouted. She scooted back away, still remaining in the dark outline of the closet. She put her back to him, mumbling, "Rules are stupid…."

"You really shouldn't break them, Jenny. Unless…."

Jenny felt the faintest touch on the back of her neck, like the tickling of the wind, making her turn back to look at the demon, but he suddenly seemed farther away. The words dropped away in the silence and he smiled-it was a very different smile. A smile Jenny had never seen before….

"I will see you again, Jenny."

"When?"

"Soon."

"Promise?"

Something changed in Julian's face, if just slightly. "I swear on it."

Jenny paused, took a second to accept it, then rubbed her eyes one more time. The jingle of the beads around her waist struck an idea. She quickly yanked the bracelet off and scooted back to the demon boy beside her. "Here!" She took his hand before Julian could even register what she was doing and slipped the elastic string around his wrist. The pink jewels stood out greatly against his pale skin. "I want you to keep it. Until we can play again. So you don't forget me."

Julian never foresaw the day he'd be struck speechless twice in the same day, nevertheless in the same hour, by the same girl-the same _human _girl. Words didn't matter at this point. He picked up her hand, encasing it completely in his own, and kissed the back of it, much like a Prince to a Princess.

"I would _never_ forget you, my Jenny…."

That was all Jenny remembered of that day. After twelve years she remembered running into that closet, then she was going home-on her way to the airport. She knew there was stuff in-between. Something happened, something important, that her little mind just couldn't resurface. The only thing Jenny could truly rely on was that that was the last day she ever visited that place.

And that that was the day her grandfather went missing.

Jenny was never told the details. She remembered her mother flying there to pick her up instead of little Jenny flying by herself, but no one had explained to her why, or how. Just that he was gone, along with everything he had.

But the other memories didn't bother her much. Jenny never told anyone because, well, having an imaginary friend seemed childish now. There was no need to tell anyone about the demon she imagined in her closet because she was an adult now. She was almost done with high school. Then she'd get a job, and go to college, and marry Tom and have kids-

Everything about adult life would be perfect. And she was so close to it. Not now, but soon.

Now, she was rushing down the street. Running in a skirt and flats was slightly in the way, but Jenny was more worried about the time on her cell phone. She promised Summer she wouldn't be late. She _promised_. But her father hadn't exactly liked the new bikini she bought, so leaving the house with it underneath her clothes was a challenging argument. It wasn't so much the fact that she was afraid of disappointing Summer, but the fact that their bus was coming at 11:25.

And it was 11:32.

She honestly expected her friends to have left without her, but as she rounded the corner to the bus stop, she saw them-all six of them-huddled together by the bench. She noticed Dee first, mostly because of her dark, long legs in those green shorts. She had the figure of an athlete, firm biceps, flat stomach, and wore a simple tank top with the ties of a bikini around her neck. Zach was next to her, sitting on the bench with his long nose buried in his camera. He wore a simple white t-shirt and a pair of blue swimming shorts that contrasted greatly with his pale skin and coarse blonde hair. Jenny was glad he had decided to come along, although she already knew he wasn't going to be swimming. Audrey was currently fixing her auburn red hair, the locks glimmering in the dull sunshine. She wore no covering top, only her red and black bikini top with a small rose on the right side, and a black mini skirt with a matching handbag. Michael was in front of her, holding the small hand mirror up for her as she adjusted every strand. He was wearing an abnormally long dark shirt, one that almost went to his knees and wouldn't be transparent once wet, and some white swimming shorts. He was slightly shorter than the rest of them, but Summer was the smallest. Like a child, she was wearing a bright blue summer dress, the ends spotted with white flowers, and her blonde curls flowing over her shoulders much like a doll. She was currently holding a large bag under her arms, obviously a birthday present.

The bus, however, wasn't there.

"Did we miss it?" Jenny didn't realize how out of breath she sounded until she had to choke her words out between pants. "Tell me we didn't miss it."

"Calm down, Sunshine," Dee said. "It's running late. Lucky for us."

"Jenny!" Summer ran up to her almost immediately, digging around the large paper bag until she pulled out the box. "Look what Audrey got for me. Aren't they pretty?"

The pearl earrings were gorgeous, polished to the dot, with gold backings surrounded by cotton. "And they're _real_," Audrey said without looking away from her mirror. "Got them hand picked from the bottom of the ocean in Corte D'Azur."

Jenny couldn't help but smile to the shining blonde. "They're beautiful, Summer. They'll look great on you. I'm sorry I'm late."

"Oh, hush." Dee came over and gave her arm a light punch. "Tom's not even here yet, so if anything, we'll blame him."

"Blame me for what?"

Instantly, all the worry of ruining the trip and exhaustion from running half-way across town just drained away. That voice always calmed her.

Jenny spun around where the arms were around her, pulling her off her feet, flush against him. Tom, of course, wasn't wearing a shirt, the white cloth rolled up and draped over his shoulder, so Jenny landed right on his chest, the muscled skin feeling firm under her hands. If Jenny had to pick a favorite part of Tom, it would have to be his eyes. The dark brown always melted away anything bad in the world. Of course, everything about him was perfect. Tom Locke was just perfect.

As if to prove it, he kissed Jenny before she could even fully catch up with being snatched up like this, stirring delight inside her. "Hello, Thorny." Then he spun her around and led her back to their friends with an arm around her shoulder.

"Well we could blame you for throwing away our only ride to the beach yesterday," Audrey said after finally taking the mirror back from Michael.

"Hey, it's not his fault!" Summer whined.

"Yeah," Tom said dully, completely unaffected. "The radiator blew out on me. I can't exactly fix it overnight. Even _with _supplies!"

"We're just lucky Jenny thought to take the bus, and found us a good time."

"Isn't that funny, though?" Michael butted it, those dark eyes glowing like a cocker-spaniel's. "How life will seem perfectly smooth, then right at the worst possible moment, something goes wrong. It spins off track and unravels everything. There was a recent study saying that these chances have increased in our generation. Do you think it has to do with the increase of technology?"

"Darling," Audrey called smoothly.

"Yes?"

"Stop talking."

Michael merely grabbed her hand and kissed it, like a submissive pet. "Anything for the Queen."

For some reason, a chill went down Jenny's spine at that.

Dee only rolled her eyes. "Oh, brother. Michael, stop it. She's already spoiled enough by _Daddy_."

"Dee," Jenny quickly killed the rising argument.

Audrey only gave the warrior of a woman a glance. "If I was so spoiled, Daddy would've given us a new car drive."

"But you just _had _to max out his credit cards, so he took it away."

"That was our only back-up ride."

Tom pulled away from Jenny to step between the girls. "Ladies. Enough. It's Summer's birthday."

"Yeah," the small blonde said, "no fighting. Oh, we're going to have so much fun at the beach! I haven't been in ages. When was the last time we went, Jenny?"

Jenny honestly had to think about it, but for some reason she couldn't recall it. She caught herself staring across the street as a car passed-a taxi, actually. The sign resting on the top of must've been some kind of water ad because it was blue.

The flash of the color registered wrong in her mind; it appeared darker, an impossible color, like sapphires-

The chills suddenly covered Jenny's arms. When she looked back to her friends-too quickly, in fact-Summer was already showing Tom her pearl earrings. Michael was preventing Audrey and Dee from getting at each other's throats again, while Zach was still off by himself. Looking at him, Jenny could imagine him a small boy again, playing in the yard of their grandfather's house-

God, why was she remembering all of this now?

Slowly, she moved closer to her cousin, who was completely detached from the scene in front of him. He was currently engaged in a photo of a spider in its web, a beautiful picture really. She had to touch his shoulder and call to him to get him to look up from the viewfinder.

"Hey," she said softly.

Zach's grey eyes did not change-distant, but conscious. "Hey." He didn't hold her gaze long before he went back to flipping through pictures on the camera.

"Take lots of pictures of Summer, ok? It'll be a good memory." Jenny was really hoping to get more out of him, but all he gave was a light nod and moved onto the next picture.

She was about to ask her cousin if he was feeling ok, like usual, until the tug came on her sleeve. Summer was practically beaming up at her. "We should try something new at the beach!"

Dee almost laughed. "Like what?"

"I don't know. Something different! Like a game we never heard of! Like a twist on marco polo or something."

Jenny put a hand on her shoulder to calm the girl. "I'll look something up on my phone on the way there, ok? But I can't promise anything."

"Oh, ok."

Tom was back at Jenny's side, giving the blonde a pat on the back. "Oh, don't worry Sunbunny, we'll make our own game. How about that?"

"Oh that sounds fun! Dee, what should it be?"

As the birthday girl took off in the other direction, Tom came to a stop in front of Jenny, letting his hands run down her shoulders to her biceps. "You okay?"

Jenny took a breath. Besides ignoring goosebumps and not sleeping well? "Fine," she said slowly. "I'm just…upset I didn't have time to grab Summer's present-"

"No, I meant with… You know, the other day."

Oh. That.

There was a small swell of something-frustration, guilt, hurt-but Jenny swallowed it back down. The same she had done after the incident had happened. She dropped her gaze to the floor. "I said it was fine."

"Yeah, but I know you. It's bothering you, right?" His hand came up to caress her cheek, pausing to brush the hair out of the way. "You know I didn't mean it like that, right? You're the only one I…"

Should she be mad? Upset that they have been seeing each other since Junior year but just the other day he was unwilling to say those three words. He can call her his girlfriend, he has no shame in that-arms around her shoulders at school, bragging about her in front of the guys on the team. Yet, he's unwilling to come over for dinner and meet her parents, and has a million excuses to bring her over to his house. He says he's there, but won't cross that final line.

"If I am," she said carefully, "then why didn't you just say it back?"

Beautiful brown darted to the side. "I….I don't know. It just makes me nervous, you know? We're still in high school. We're basically adults-"

"So you should be able to say it."

His hands dropped from her face and he sighed. Jenny knew that sigh. They weren't going to get anywhere with this conversation. At least not now.

So Jenny took a breath and let the hot swelling in her chest melt away. She grabbed Tom's hand and smiled-honestly. "Really, it's fine. I get it. But let's not talk about that right now. It's Summer's party." Tom let that sink in for a moment as he fully searched her. Then he flashed her that famous Tom Locke smile and tugged her in for a kiss.

"Hey you two, keep the PDA down today, all right?"

"Oh, you're so one to talk, Audrey."

Tom glanced back over his shoulder, eyes rolling as the girls began to bicker again. But Jenny turned his head back with gentle fingers, needing to stare into that settling brown once more. "I love you," she said calmly.

Tom opened his mouth.

Summer shouted, "I see the bus!"

Jenny turned, and the wind hit everyone like a tornado. Audrey even gave a small shriek as her hair was ruined. It was a strong gust, carrying leaves and debris, strong enough to catch Summer off balance. By the time it stopped, leaving everyone a little out of place in themselves, the bus was placed firmly before them.

But it was the wrong bus.

It had to be. Jenny had read the map at least a dozen times to make sure it was right. Since both of their cars were dysfunctional, the could only take the Communal Cozy bus, route 48 at 11:25. It didn't exactly take them to the beach, but a few miles down. Her friends said the walk would be fine at the time, although it nagged at Jenny inside that she couldn't find a proper ride.

However, Jenny had seen the picture of the bus every time she mulled it over-faded blue paint with rusty windows and a dull, electronic sign in the front. The side even had a lipstick ad of woman whose lips had obviously been photo-shopped.

This bus was a deep purple, freshly painted judging by the glossy finish and fine detail around the rugged edges. The windows were tinted black, unable to see inside. There was no sign on the front, not any that Jenny could see anyway. There wasn't even an ad on the side. It was sleek and blank, and mysterious. The only thing that stood out was the symbol above the door. It looked like a _U_, but it was slightly slanted with the ends curved out a bit. It was a deep red right above the frame, standing out surprisingly significantly against the purple, almost like it was glowing-

There was a loud hiss, one that made Jenny jump out of her shoes, then the doors opened.

Just like a regular bus, they folded in, revealing the silver steps and the driver. But there was a small window blocking the driver's face. They could see his body positioned at the wheel, but from the neck up was nothing but a sheet of plastic. Her friends didn't seem to know what to do about this exotic ride, only staring in wonder, until someone stepped from the isle.

Jenny had to move around Tom in order to see what her friends saw, and something inside her rocked harder than it should've.

The man was tall and very lean at first glance, but it had to be due to the sleek black suit he wore. No creases, no wrinkles, just straight black pants and shirt, long sleeved, collar up, as if he was wearing nothing but shadows. What stood out the most, however, what shocked everyone the most was the black mask he wore. It covered half of his face, stopping under her nose, leaving his mouth exposed. It even curled up over the top of his head.

"Welcome," he said suddenly, with much enchantment in his voice. He stood halfway on the steps and the isle, leaning toward the doorway, still inside the bus. "Are you worthy to proceed to the House of Anubis?"

One of them snickered. Probably Tom.

Dee tried to wave it off. "Sorry, dude. Wrong bus."

The eyes under the mask flickered over to her, gleaming a dangerous shade of blue. "Is it?"

"What's the House of Anubis?" It was Summer who asked, her blue eyes wide with curiosity as she tried to peer inside the bus from the curb.

The man leaned a hand on the railing, moving closer to the doorway without leaving it. "You could call it a maze," he spoke slowly, drawing out the syllables very carefully, tauntingly. "Or a puzzle. Gods, power, life, **death**."

There was something about his voice. Something that had Jenny's mind reeling. Her stomach dropped, gut tightened. She moved a bit closer, next to Tom, her gaze locked on the man. He seemed like he was fine tuned-details popping out wherever Jenny looked, but there was something Jenny couldn't connect to. Like a mask, shielding the color of his eyes, blocking off some detail of his voice. She couldn't put the pieces together. What was it? What _was it_?

"Jenny?"

It was seeing those mysterious eyes suddenly land on her that drew Jenny back. She was standing in front of the doorway, suddenly in arm's reach. She had walked passed all her friends without thinking. She was suddenly so close to the bus, as if she was going to board. Those eyes-piercing her like spears-made something in her sting, almost painfully. The man said nothing to Jenny, but his smile was like that of an animal's. Jenny quickly jumped back.

"Look, buddy, we're going to the beach." Tom spoke directly to the man, taking charge as always. "We don't have time for detours."

"Hold on," Audrey snapped. She faced the man, hands on her hips. "Exactly what is this maze? Another museum with phony mummies and made-up Pharaohs?"

"Oh, I can assure you, everything is very real." The man's smile almost pulled up to his ears, thrilled as he spoke. "Discover the real tombs of the House of Anubis, taste the sands of Egypt, solve the riddles from the pharaohs themselves. Survive the traps of the dead, and you win the game."

Summer was immediately on the balls of her feet, stretching her blue flip-flops. "Oh, It sounds like fun! Is there a prize if we win?"

"Leaving with your lives." He said it so casually that it chilled the conversation. The smirk that followed didn't help, easing up into the edges of his mask.

Dee couldn't resist smiling at that. "Sounds risky."

Audrey shrugged her shoulders, gaze landing on Michael at her side. "Egyptian mythology is pretty interesting **if **its portrayed right."

The blonde looked to her friends with excitement in those blue eyes. Jenny didn't like it. The man-his voice-the symbol above the door-it struck the wrong chord inside her. "What about the beach?"

"It looks like it's going to rain."

Jenny turned to her cousin who spoke. He was now on his feet, staring up at the sky. Now that they looked at it, the clouds were gathering, darkening rather quickly. But that wasn't right either. Jenny had checked the weather channel almost every hour since yesterday. It was supposed to be sunny, like ninety degrees all day, not sixty.

"Our bus isn't even here yet."

"That's true."

"It's _Summer's _birthday. What do you want to do, girly?"

The blonde shyly looked to Jenny, like a child awaiting permission from her parents. Really, Jenny couldn't argue with it. She took a deep breath, but didn't look at the man when she asked, "How much does it cost?"

There was a pause before the man answered. "If you win? Nothing."

"Really?!"

"That's _awesome_."

"And if we lose?" Jenny had to ask. She couldn't shake it. This terribly odd feeling. She finally looked back to the man at the stairs. He was gazing at her very carefully now, studying her. His smile was almost unnerving, as if he was soaking up her entire presence.

"I'm willing to _bargain._" He said the word strangely, but added nothing more. He stepped back inside the bus, standing in front of the driver, and waved his arm down the isle, waiting to herd them inside.

Summer was all but jumping in glee. She ran to the bus and would've dove straight in if it wasn't for the boy-he struck out a firm hand, blocking the young girl before she could even touch the bus.

"But," he said very smoothly, "before you board, you must all acknowledge, aloud, that everything you're about to see, to witness, to adventure into, is as real as the blood that runs through your veins. That is the only fare, for now."

Nervous sky blue eyes looked back at her friends. Dee raised her chin and in line behind the blonde. With her hands on Summer's shoulders, she said firmly, "I believe."

Summer announced next, "I believe it!"

Michael got in line next, practically muttering, "Yeah, I believe it, I guess…"

Surprisingly Zach was next to line up, camera wrapped around his neck in its protective strap. He shrugged. "I believe."

The boy smiled and stepped aside, allowing them to climb aboard.

Thankfully, Audrey took a step back. "Hold up. I'm not going through some ridiculous maze in _this_." She gestured to her shirtless attire. "I didn't bring any spare clothes."

"You were gonna show off at the beach," Dee hissed as she climbed onto the bus's steps. "What's the difference here?"

Before Audrey could spit back, Tom stepped up, handing her his rolled-up shirt. "Here, you can borrow mine."

Something coiled in Jenny's gut, something ugly and hot that she did her best to ignore, as she watched her friend put on her boyfriend's shirt. She didn't realize she was staring at the two of them until they crossed her to line-up for the bus. Then she caught sight of the man behind that dreadfully dark mask and looked away.

After that, no one seemed to argue against it, and they lined up to pile inside the bus. Audrey and Tom both said their bus fare as they lined up, receiving a nod from the boy who stood in waiting. For a moment, Jenny felt nothing but shock. Shock that she suppressed, of course, for Summer's sake. It was her birthday; if she wanted to go on a spontaneous trip to god-knows where to run around in dark tunnels with sand and shit from something they've never heard of and possibly not have a ride home, that was it.

She was last in line to get on the bus, of course. As she neared closer to the door, something in her gut tightened so badly-something telling her that she was about to make a terrible mistake. She was going to say it-to say something against this whole thing-but Tom was right in front of her. He was already halfway inside the bus, reaching back to grab her hand.

"Come on," he said and tugged her inside.

She didn't fight him. She never did.

The man never left the doorway. He stood next to the mysterious driver, standing right in their way. Everyone squeezed passed him like it was nothing, but Jenny hesitated. The sudden hissing made her flinch, look back, and the doors were closing. Tom let go of her hand, making her turn around, where the man stood. Jenny started to squeeze herself passed him, pulling on the railing for leverage, but for some reason, when she met his gaze through that mask, she couldn't look away.

Time dragged, if just for a moment, making her move passed him slower. Mere inches apart, gaze unbreakable, with eyes such a strange color-pretty, but strangely-So strangely familiar.

She turned to take a seat, but suddenly the hand shot out and caught the pole in front of her, his forearm blocking her way in an instant. If she hadn't jumped back down a step from surprise, she would've ran right into him.

"And you?" He said it so slow-too slow for Jenny to handle at the moment. Those daring eyes pressed down at her through the darkness of the mask. The way he tilted his head made the light catch on some of the jewels on his mask, reminded Jenny of frozen tears, the color of maroon. Before she could dwell on the thought further, he asked, "Do you acknowledge that _everything _is real?"

Jenny really didn't want him to explain what he meant by everything. Her throat-tight and stuffed with cotton all of a sudden-refused the process of words, so Jenny gave a mere nod. He did say aloud, but those eyes simply tightened on her, edge of his mouth turning up in a smirk, and he removed his hand, allowing her to pass.

Standing at the front of the bus, it seemed a lot smaller now when compared to the outside. Her friends had already taken their seats, separated along each side of the isles at their leisure. Dee sat in the front to the left, parallel to her on the right where Michael and Audrey. Summer was in the seat behind them, trying to peer through the blackened window with Tom beside her. Zach sat alone on the left side.

There was no one else on the bus.

Jenny had to swallow something tight down in her throat, but she went and sat beside her cousin.

There was a loud rumble, the engine practically roaring as if something was terribly wrong with it. Then there was a jerk, and the bus started moving. But it was basically impossible to see anything through the windows. If it weren't for the windshield showing the moving road ahead of them, it would've seemed like they were moving in place.

The boy, however, soon stood in front of it. The fact that he blocked most of their view made the bus seem much more cramped than it should've been. He stood with his hands on the two railings that stretched from the floor to the ceiling on each side of the seats, blocking them in.

"So where exactly is this maze?" It was Audrey who asked it while she bunched up the end of the larger shirt and tied it off behind her higher than normal, like a make-shift crop-top.

The boy merely tilted his head to the side slightly, almost resting it on his raised shoulder. "In Egypt, of course."

"Ha ha, yeah right. Is it, like, downtown?"

"Oh, there's a city around the hills of the beach," Summer pointed out with glee. "Maybe it's there."

Tom's eyebrows pinched together in clear doubt. "Is it?" He asked, looking right at the boy in the front of the room.

The boy met Tom's gaze, and Jenny swore his eyes were darker than before. "Perhaps."

Dee scoffed. "Ok, maze-boy. Seriously, is it downtown or what-"

"That would be telling."

For some reason, a shiver raced up Jenny's spine at that.

"What?"

He finally lifted one of his hands, rolling in front of him as if to be dramatic. "If you wish to win the game, then you must answer your own questions, as well as solve all my riddles. For example-" Too quickly, his hand slapped back onto the metal, sending a terrible ringing around the bus. He even leaned forward quick enough to make Summer jump. The smile that peeked from under that mask was completely unnerving. " 'In the darkness, I lurk. Born by thought, Time is my breath. I am created in a second, but last a lifetime. Thriving, I can revise time, but remain immortal as I am lost. What am I?"

The confusion in the air was thick enough to choke everyone.

"What the hell does that mean?" Dee all but snapped.

The boy slowly drew back, shrugging his shoulders. "You tell me."

The bus jerked again, making Jenny clench her fingers. She hadn't realized she had been squeezing the life out of the edge of the seat until her knuckles started to ache. Looking down, she saw they were white-interrupted by harsh pink lines- and quickly released the seat. As she flexed her fingers to coax the blood flow back into them, she carefully watched the color return, masking the scars that covered her hands. The soft pink lines wrapped around her hands, both front and back, in tattered strands, most of them small now since she had outgrown them. Maybe if she remembered how she got them, they wouldn't make her feel so uneasy.

Then, blackness.

Someone gasped as the whole place was suddenly filled with shadows. All that was visible was a slight glow from the front of the bus, from the windshield, illuminating the boy in an eerie outline. Those eyes-Jenny couldn't shake it-they were blue. But that color was impossible-

Another jerk and Jenny realized she was staring at the boy, unable to break her gaze to anything else-

-and he was staring back.

"Are we in a tunnel?"

"Why is it so dark?"

For the life of her, Jenny couldn't tell who asked them, but she heard it. She knew she wanted the answers to them as well, but God those eyes-she knew those eyes.

"I suppose I should tell you the rules." He spoke very clearly, obviously meant for everyone to hear, but those eyes-those magnificently blue eyes were pinning Jenny right in her seat.

There were slight sparks of light now, as if they were passing lights in this so called tunnel. They were coming and going pretty quickly-the bus must've picked up speed.

"The game is simple. Each of you will have a turn. It will be your job to figure out who's and why. Pass it, and you'll move onto the next level. First of all, do not touch any of the other players. They do not play kindly with others."

"Are there more groups at the maze?"

"I'm referring to your challengers," the boy answered smoothly. "Those who stand in your way of completing the levels. Physical tactics will get you nowhere. Spell-out _fear_ correctly and they'll get out of your way."

Someone started to question what exactly he meant by "spell-out fear," but the boy continued. The lights came more frequently now.

"Second of all, what happens in Egypt, stays in Egypt." The smile that lurked just on the edge of his lips in the shadows made a tingle echo its way down Jenny's thighs. "Pain and pleasure both."

"Wait a minute, we can't be hurt, right?" Michael asked, sitting forward in his seat. "Right?"

A flash of light illuminated the boy's face for a millisecond. "Of course you can. Your challenges will be the hardest you ever faced. I'll be surprised if you get by with mere bruises."

"Uh, I-I don't want to get hurt." That was Summer's voice, tiny and weak.

"How fast are we going?"

As if on cue, there was a jerk and the engine gave a roar. The lights came in blurs now, the shadows overlapping, filling the entire bus in nothing but darkness. Only scraps of light, glimpses, like little cloudbursts erupting every other second. The panic came within minutes.

"Hey, slow down!"

"You're going to kill us!"

"Oh, that all depends on you," the boy's voice came out a lot darker now, still as smooth as silk, but completely ruthless. "Whether you live or die is all on how you play the game. All choices have consequences."

The last line made something in Jenny's heart jump. In one of the flashest of light, she saw him-the image of a small boy, with white hair and eyes as blue as sapphires, kneeling in front her with a finger to his lips. She _remembered_-where she had been hiding or why was unclear, but she remembered the boy-twelve years ago-and him telling her, _"All choices have consequences, my Jenny."_

Immediately, Jenny was on her feet. "Stop the bus!"

The boy's eyes shot to her in an instant. Like a predator spotting its prey, he locked onto her. "I'm afraid that's not an option. On a tight schedule, you know."

"Stop it right now," Dee spat from the front. "We want to get off."

But the bus only rattled harder, swaying from side to side as it picked up speed, rolling harder than humanely possible. Jenny was honestly waiting for them to crash, for the sudden rupture in the speed, but it didn't. It continued on, harder, _faster_.

Someone was screaming. Zach had his head tucked between his legs. Tom was trying to stand up, fury raging all around him, but couldn't counter the sway of the bus.

But Jenny was standing just fine. Holding the back of the seat in front of her, she stared down the man in the shadows at the front of the bus, the one was staring her down just as equally, because she remembered. She remembered those words-those eyes. Looking at him now, even in the dark, she could see the familiar color-a color that only Princesses had, or Princes. A blue that has forever caught her eye-the eyes of the boy at the front of the bus.

The bus was out of control now. The wheels were practically bouncing along the road, skidding, flying, they would bust one at this rate. Everyone was being jostled around. Their speed was beyond a number. Electricity crackled through the metal, sparking bits of light around the bus. But that was all Jenny needed. Because in one of those bright glimpses, in the flash of light closest to the boy, she saw the hair that was peeking out from under the mask, bleach-blonde hair, almost as white as snow-

She was running at him before she could think otherwise. Someone shouted at her. The bus jerked, knocking her off her course, but she bounced off the seats and spun on the boy.

The lights were going crazy through the windshield. The world outside was nothing but shadows with hints of color raging around them. The metal bended and creaked with the electricity, crackling around them like a thunderstorm. The atmosphere was thick with fear and confusion, enough to smother all common sense. All hell had broken loose.

But it was nothing compared to the way everything shifted, like glass shattering and then freezing in place, when Jenny ripped off the boy's mask.

…..-

When Jenny opened her eyes again, everything had gone dark. No more lights, no more commotion. The bus was no longer moving. Everything had gone still, as if time had stopped. Everything around them from outside to inside, even the air seemed to be consumed by shadows, cloaking everything in a dark haze. Jenny was at the front of the bus, resting against the steps as if she had calmly rested her head against the dashboard for a nap. Instantly she got up, knees trembling, and she had to use the metal bar to stabilize herself.

Her friends were there. All six of them in one place or another, all asleep. Dee was the closest, in the first seat on the left. She was facing the isle, arms on the back of the seats around her and one leg up on the entry bar, like a doll on strings not put back on the shelf correctly. Behind her was Zach, sitting up straight with his head bowed. Summer was on the floor, blonde hair sprayed out, covering her face. Michael was against the window on the right side. Audrey was against him as if she had dozed off on his shoulder during the ride. Tom was near the back. From here Jenny could only see his legs.

"Guys-_Guys_!" She had to raise her voice once she realized how small it sounded. "Wake up. All of you, wake up." She threw Dee's foot down and stirred the warrior awake. Then Michael woke up next, Audrey third. Tom was fourth to wake up, sitting up and holding his head like he had a massive migraine, then Summer lifted her head, then Zach.

By the time Jenny helped Summer up, they were all on their feet.

"What the hell happened?"

"I feel like I was hit by a truck."

"Where are we?"

Slowly, they all looked to the windows, but they seemed frosted over, showing nothing of the outside. Dee leaned over a seat and tried to breathe on it, rub away some of the mask, but there was no effect.

"The driver's gone."

It was Tom who said it and it wasn't until Jenny turned to look that she realized it was true. The driver, as well as that mysterious boy, were both gone.

"Is everyone okay?" Dee asked and like a routine everyone nodded and mumbled, checked their limbs and each other wounds.

In turn, Zach asked, "Does anyone…remember what happened?" To that, no one answered.

Jenny felt sick to her stomach. Something wasn't right. Something definitely wasn't right. She was still staring at the front of the bus, where that boy had been. She just now realized she hadn't seen his face. But…something was eating at her. Something very wrong. Something….evil.

Next thing she knew, Tom and Zach were trying to open the bus door.

"Wait!"

"What?" The boys stopped, glancing back at Jenny. Suddenly everyone was staring at her. Did she really sound so paranoid?

Jenny opened her mouth to respond, but no words could come to her for a long moment.

"We're gonna go outside?"

Dee shrugged. "Well we can't exactly stay in here all afternoon."

"I'm not going out there." Audrey slugged back into her seat. "I don't feel so good. That guy creeped me out. Let's go home."

"We don't have the keys," Tom said tensely. "Look, whatever happened, we're all okay. We're gonna go outside, find a phone and get a ride home. And we don't separate. Not until we find out what's wrong."

When Audrey only gave a frustrated huff in reply, Michael came over and grabbed her hand. It took a couple kisses up her arm and cheesy coaxing, but soon she got up and came over to the door.

Jenny stayed still in the center of the isle trying to calm whatever sickness was rising in her stomach. "But we don't know where we are-Or what's out there."

"Exactly. That's why we need to go outside. To find out."

Before anyone could argue any further, there was a pop and a hiss, and the doors folded open.

The land outside was nothing but black.

The ground was black and soft to eye, probably dirt. The sky was a maddening blue, border lining black, with no sight of the moon or the sun. There were no trees, no bushes, nothing but the ground and the sky completely consumed by shadows. There was a heavy fog that filled the space in-between, but even that seemed black, like curtains of black velvet draped down from the sky.

Straight ahead was a door.

The only thing visible from the fog was the frame of the double-door, just off in the distance. As if they had broke down outside someone's house.

The chill of the air seemed to sink into Jenny's skin, filling her with a very light-headed feeling. The ground prodded under her feet, as if she was bouncing with each step. It was interesting, but at the moment Jenny hated it. She didn't feel grounded at all-She felt like she was walking on air, and her mind was too tired. She wanted nothing more than to sit down and clear everything up, until her heart stopped racing like this, but her friends were already lining up, walking toward the door.

If any of them felt as put-off as Jenny did, none of them showed it. Besides Summer; the doll was hugging her arms, tucked underneath Dee's protective arm as they walked. Tom led them to it, of course, constantly checking around them for any type of helpful sign. The closer they approached, the slower the fog drifted apart. But it didn't go far. By the time they reached the door, the fog had only lifted up enough to expose the blank plaster of the wall around-only there was no edge. Somehow they knew that beyond the fog was something enormous-like a mansion in the shadows. Looking back, there couldn't see the bus anymore. They hadn't moved that far, but the fog had crept in behind them, as if it was following them, pulling them toward the door. The door was twice as big as they thought, towering over them in a deep crimson red shade, with the tiniest details carved in a circular motion in the surface of the wood, and two handles, sitting in large golden arches.

"I wonder what's inside."

"Well let's find out." Tom grabbed one of the metal handles and pulled. The doors creaked, but did not move. He tried again, this time with both hands, and the reaction was the same.

Jenny watched him try harder, with all his strength, muscles straining in his neck, and still the door didn't budge. Zach tried it next, giving it a jiggle and a push. Michael tried, looking away from the door as he did. They all gave it a try, Audrey, Dee, even Summer. The fact that it could be locked wasn't the problem. It was the feeling around the door, the aura that it was unlocked and just stuck, the pressure inside the ancient wood, as if it were alive with power. It made them all anxious.

They even tried yelling.

"Hello! Anyone in there?"

"We need help! Please!"

"Let us in!"

The boys even began battering on the door, Dee round house kicked it a few times, but Jenny just knew. A terribly cold chill ran up her spine as she walked up to the door, staring at the golden arch handle. It was itching up the back of her neck, telling her, _reminding _her that she had been the one to close the door that day.

And today she was going to open it.

She grabbed the handle firmly with both hands, but she froze for a moment. She was panicking inside. Really, really panicking. Because she just knew-_knew _that whatever lay on the other side of this door was nothing but evil. It would change them, hurt them, and it terrified her.

Yet, she took a deep, shaking breath, and pulled.

The door slid open like it was nothing.

It creaked, loudly, swinging ever so slowly due to its massive weight. The light inside was blinding at first, but as it settled, it revealed nothing more than a large entry room.

But what a room it was.

Although the outside was nothing but smooth plaster, inside was lined with beige old stones. Two large pillars made up the entrance from the inside, opening up to something like an underground cavern. The walls are a mix of stone and dirt, mastered together into a very earthy look. There were designs in some of them, clearly Egyptian, painted in a light red. There was a very thin rug that rolled out from the entrance to the other side of the room where there sat an archway to another room, but nothing could be seen passed the shadows.

Everyone piled inside one at a time, going straight for the details on the wall. Tom was the only one to call out for anyone. The rest of them were looking around as if they were surrounded by gold. It wasn't until after Jenny stepped in last that she felt the door slip closed behind her, letting out a puff of air against her legs. She looked at it in shock, but before she could try to open it back up, someone was saying, "Look at _that_."

It was Dee, pointing out the details in the wall. Carvings in the stone, of some kind of symbols or perhaps another language, even some pictures. They were very detailed, and covered every inch of the walls. Audrey was also running her hands across them, mouthing something inaudible as she read them.

It was Michael who pointed them out, causing Jenny to turn and look. Perfectly lined statues sat in the corners, a pair of black cats with gold trimmed collars and paws, a pair of wolves that were perched back and mouths open in a snarl, and finally a pair of snakes, coiled up and ready to strike, with two blue jewels for eyes-deeper than turquoise-much deeper than anything that could possibly be human.

As soon as Jenny saw it, the color seemed to flash at her-such an impossible blue. The fear made her reel ten steps backwards. "We should go."

"What?"

"Right now. Let's go." She had turned quick on her heels, aiming for the door, but even time seemed to stop at the next voice.

"Going so soon? But the game hasn't even started."

Oh _God_.

The rest of them turned to the other side of the room, parallel to the door where the large archway now stood wide open. From the shadows stepped a boy. A boy with eyes as blue as sapphires and hair as white as snow. He wore a black vest with nothing underneath, revealing such large muscles in his arms. The pants he wore were a mindless black, hiding such long, powerful legs. He stood almost professionally, straight back, hands behind his back, and he was smiling.

Oh but what a dangerous smile he held.

Tom immediately faced him head-on. "Who are you?"

"That would be telling."

"Were you the guy from the bus?"

The boy gave a pause. "You could say that."

Jenny heard herself whimper, such a small pathetic noise, and she had to cover her mouth to hide it. There was no way. There was **no way**….

She heard Dee take a stand. "Look, we got stranded outside-"

"Stranded? Oh no. You've reached your destination."

"Excuse me?"

The boy lifted his hands, as if showing off the room around them. "Welcome to the Home of Anubis. Ready to play?"

"To play _what_?"

"The game. That's why you all came here. Solve the puzzle, finish the maze, and win the prize. And if you lose-"

"We don't want to play anymore." Tom's voice had hardened. Even though he looked so angry, so brave, there was the tiniest bit of fear about him. "Whatever you did, forget it. We're done."

"Oh, but _I'm _not. You started the game. Now you have to end it."

"Please." That was Summer, stepping away from Zach to meet the boy across the room. "We're sorry. We-We changed our minds. We just want to go home."

"And you will. If you win the game. If."

"What do you mean 'if'?" Dee all but snarled. "You can't _make _us play."

To that, the boy merely gave her a glance. He let his gaze meet all of theirs, one at a time, watching their reactions as something intangible hit them all. All except Jenny, who hadn't turned around.

"If you win," the boy continued, "you can go home. If _I _win, then you're all stuck here. Just like the rules imply."

"You're joking, right? Like, this is some hard-core role play shit, right?"

"You all acknowledged that everything is real."

"What?"

"Oh no."

"You're insane!"

"Look, pal. I don't know who you think you are, but you can't just-"

It was Tom who was screaming it. He had charged at the boy with fists clenched at his sides. It took one simple motion, just a turn of the boy's head and Tom was knocked back. The invisible force smacked him directly in the chest, knocking him a good ten feet back, right into the wall. Sumer screamed. Dee went to charge next, but reluctantly Zach was the one to hold her back. Audrey jumped into Michaels' arms, whose face had gone pale. Jenny had flinched and she turned only her head enough to see her boyfriend against the wall, face scrunched-up in pain. In her mind she was already at his side, arms around him, checking to see if he was ok, comforting him-but her legs stayed stationary, glued in place.

The boy's smile widened, baring his teeth much like a wild animal to its prey. "Rule one: don't touch your opponents. I told you physical tactics were useless. Now have I made myself clear? Break the rules and you'll be disqualified. Immediately."

"We don't even know what that means!"

"Then I guess you'll have to find out, won't you?"

"You're a monster!"

The boy just laughed. "Oh no, I'm not, but you would know all about monsters, wouldn't you, _Audrey_?"

All eyes fell on the copper head as her eyes suddenly went wide. The boy was almost gloating. "Oh yes, I know about you. I know about all of you. That's why I suggest you follow the rules or I'll only make it harder for you. Complete your level to the fullest, and you'll move on through the game. Oh, and I don't advise getting lost in the pyramids. It's well known for its lack of survivors-"

"Why are you doing this?" Summer all but cried at him, hugging herself in the center of the room.

To that, the boy paused, and Jenny could feel the gaze burning in the back of her head. "I'm not the one you should be asking that."

Then, one by one, her friends' gazes landed upon her. Jenny just knew. But she didn't want to turn around. She couldn't. If she did, if it was real, she'd pass out. She didn't know what would happened-and yet.…

So she turned quickly, hands still over her mouth, and immediately was taken back to that day-the day twelve years ago in the closet. The day she first ever saw Julian. **Julian**, the thing she always passed as an imaginary friend, now standing twenty feet away from her.

But things had changed. They were no longer in a closet, but this strange lobby. And they were older. Julian looked the same age as her now, if not older. Compared to the last time Jenny saw him, he looked…more sculpted in a way. Much more beautiful, that was for sure. The way those eyes seemed to completely envelope her, that hair whiter than anything Jenny had ever seen. His whole presence, everything about him made everything Jenny was, her entire being just one painful throb, sourcing at her hands.

Jenny couldn't breathe. She was literally choking on her own breath because it was impossible. It couldn't _be_. But seeing him struck her with so much astonishment that she was practically on the verge of tears.

When she finally got a breath in, she realized she hadn't taken her eyes off of him. And now that she slowly came back to reality, she realized he was now fully engaged in her presence. He stood perfectly still with his hands posted behind his back, and such light, blazing eyes, like flickering blue flames, the color of blue when you're taking a cold shower and you press on your eyelids until you see colors, a blue that couldn't possibly exist, piercing right through her.

"Hello, Jenny."

Oh, _God_.

Jenny fully gasped now and finally stopped covering her mouth. Hearing her name was too much. A massive shudder passed over her, one that shook her passed her control to the point that she forced herself to come back. She got her breath back, but could hardly speak.

"No…"

"No what?" He questioned, tilting his head slightly. His hair gleamed with golden highlights from the firelight.

It hurt to speak, but Jenny felt the words leaving her lips almost breathlessly. "It's not you…" Jenny shook her head. "You… You were-"

"Just another boogeyman?" He took a step forward now and Jenny instantly reeled back. She kept walking as he advanced, consistently keeping the same amount of space between them. "Just a voice from the behind the closet door?"

"No, you…" She stopped when she felt stone behind her and leaned desperately against it. Seeing Julian and Julian alone approaching her made her finally notice that her friends were gone. Somehow she knew that they had disappeared long ago when she was too distracted by Julian, but she never fully took it in. Now she was forced to handle everything Julian was throwing at her, everything mundane and inhuman about him as he cornered her.

"Y-You _left_… You were gone. All of you…"

Surprisingly, Julian clicked his tongue at her. "Oh, Jenny. Don't you remember? What was the one thing you asked me? The most important one, do you remember?" Jenny shook her head and his smile only widened. Instead of answering her, he merely reached for her. Jenny flinched, but didn't move. She _couldn't_. Her knees were too weak. There was something about his presence that made everything in Jenny crumble then rebuild itself.

Yet, he never touched her. He moved as if to brush the hair out of her eyes, but never did so.

"Did anyone ever tell you how you shine?"

"What?"

"Your hair as light as honey. In the light, you give off your own glow. It's utterly _compelling_. Even in candle light, it's as soft as a flame-"

"Stop."

"And your eyes, like real emeralds. Do you like emeralds? I remember you liked the colorful rocks at the bottom of fish tanks. Would you like Diamonds? I can give them to you, Jenny. I can give you **anything**, take you **anywhere**. All you have to do is just think of it."

"Wait, wait-"

She reached her hands up to try and catch up, but he was suddenly so close that she _touched_ him. It was like a shock of electricity struck her at his cool touch. He gripped her hand before she could pull away, however, holding it close.

"See?" He was closer, breath ghosting over her lips as she was stuck against the wall. "I am _real_."

Feeling her hand pressed against his chest was enough to make her dizzy. She had to close her eyes with a deep inhale, picture the boy she saw in the closet that day, then open them as she exhaled. He was the same, only more advanced, more sculpted, in a way. He was much more beautiful, that was the only word for it. He didn't capture her this much that day. But now…

Now she was stuck against him, drowning in his elemental voice, shuddering at his compliments, and losing herself in his offers. She was overwhelmed with a sudden sense of curiosity-of what he was, how he could talk to her, why did he talk to her, what happened all those years ago-

-but something was nagging at her, something hot and tight in the back of her mind, striking actual pain. He wasn't real-But he was. Right here. Which meant that none of that was a dream. It was actually painful, trying to decipher between reality and the creative dreams of a child when everything was so blurry. Even so, Jenny watched-not felt- her free hand just gently come up and her fingertips brushed his cheek.

Julian seemed a little surprised at this, eyes only flickering to her hand, but gave no sign of denying the touch. Instead, his eyes fluttered closed while she felt him with shaking fingers, as if in bliss from her touch. It didn't feel like skin at all. Julian was cold and smooth, like touching marble, so soft, so mesmerizing. A shock of electricity raced through her fingers when she touched him, lighting up images in her mind, memories that were just so blurry. She remembered this-remembered touching Julian, but not like this. Not here.

What was it? Where was she? A part of her wanted to remember now-now that Julian was right here under her fingers, but another apart of her, a much larger part, feared what she was to remember. For some reason, the memories in the dark were so fearful that she just couldn't recall them, even though she knew Julian was in them.

It hurt, to not remember everything, to see this man-this _being_ in front of her, but she couldn't remember why. She wanted to-she wanted to know why, but God, she just couldn't.

The warmth covered her hand in the next second. Julian was grabbing her hand, pressing it completely against his face, and all the air in the room was suddenly gone to Jenny. He revealed those sapphire eyes to be three shades darker than before, with heavy lidded lashes and dilated pupils like an animal ready to attack. But Jenny didn't feel threatened at all. The look on this man's face, with those unbelievable eyes searching every feature in her face and gripping her hand so gently against his face, just screamed _satisfaction_.

"Oh, _Jenny_." It was muttered so quietly that Jenny could have believe it was a mistake, but he sounded so breathless, so exalted.

The fog from outside now filled Jenny's mind, unable to allow thoughts to be passed clearly. "I-I don't understand," she said very weakly and Julian slowly smiled. "How? What happened?"

Julian's gaze softened, if just a bit, and his grip on her hand tightened. "You don't remember. I can help you."

Suddenly she was pressed tighter into the door, Julian holding her hand near his chest, sapphire eyes drilling into her. "I can help you remember-I can show you. Let me help you, Jenny. Don't you want to remember?"

"I-I do, but…."

Julian took a step back, pulling on her hand, as if to lead her somewhere. "Then let me show you. Come back with me."

His voice was so light, so mystical. It was so easy to get lost in-

-but Jenny's feet remained stuck to the floor, rooted by something she was unaware of.

"Wait, I can't." There was pause, as if she couldn't remember her exact reason why, then- "My friends."

"Leave them." He said it so simply that Jenny almost gasped.

"No."

"Yes. Come with me, Jenny, and I'll return them home. Back at that bus stop where I grabbed you all. And I'll remind you of _everything _you missed."

Oh, it was so tempting. She was so curious-so swept up in the moment-she could feel the agreement on her tongue-

-until she remembered the small blonde-of who's birthday it was today-who was suddenly gone because of this man-and she pulled away. Like his touch burned her, she yanked her hand away and stepped away from the wall, away from him, to clear the fog in her mind.

"I-But-Wait. You said you were _evil_."

Julian turned after her fluidly, following her constant back-peddling. "Do I frighten you?"

"Yes," Jenny said on impulse. "Y-You aren't human. You said you were _cruel_, I can't-What are you doing?"

"Playing." He said it so normally that it made Jenny stop moving, stopping him a few feet before her. "I said I would play _any_ game with you."

"Well, I don't want to play. Stop it, right now. And my friends-"

"Would you like them back?"

Jenny was surprised by the sudden offer. "Yes. What did you do with them?"

"They're here. In the game. Scattered around the halls and tunnels, waiting for you."

"What?"

His eyelashes dropped just slightly and his smile was so small that it was attractive. "Hide and seek, Jenny," he said so seductively slow that it drew Jenny in without her control. "Find your friends, get through the levels, and you get to go home. Lose, and you have to stay here. With me. As mine."

Jenny was muddled again, but she clung to her reasoning the best she could. She shook her head and tried to comprehend. "What-Yours?"

"Yes. This is my world, you know. Do you remember, Jenny? What I told you?"

Jenny tried to remember; she really did, but it was hard. God, what happened twelve years ago? "You…said you could create things?"

"Anything, anywhere. Anything you want, Jenny. I can give it to you. I can make you so happy-"

She cut him off the second he took a step closer. "I want my friends. I don't want to play this game-"

"Did you ever hear the story of Aetolia?"

The topic jumping made Jenny cover her face. "What are you-"

"She was an Egyptian princess. Beautiful, but poor. She had the gifted talents of a healer, but because of those around her with higher power, and the one she eventually fell in love with, she tried to conceal them. One day, her lover was murdered and she had to make the choice of releasing her powers, or concealing them away forever. You're a lot like her, you know. Very strong, very beautiful…"

"And?" Jenny pushed.

Julian smirked. "I said I'm evil, remember? I'm the Bogeyman that steals princesses in their sleep…"

His voice lingered and for a second Jenny was lost. Then just like that, her memories hit her. The princess, the Boogeyman, Julian-

She reeled back, but the door they had originally come through was gone. "I'll have you at any cost, Jenny," his voice came darkly from behind her. "But I am giving you a chance. I won't just take you. Since your friends are involved, let's play a game."

A part of Jenny went to automatically argue with him-to deny this ridiculous set-up and demand her friends back. Yet, another side of her, a side she wasn't too familiar with, spoke first. "Why?" She asked quietly. "Why this? Why _me_?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Julian asked in return, head cocking to the side slightly.

Unable to answer, Jenny just shook her head. Julian turned his gaze down on her, dominating her with a single blink. "When you remember, you'll understand _why_. But for now…..you'll have to find your friends and pass the levels-If they can withstand the challenges, that is."

"I already told you, I don't want to-"

"Then come with me." He said it just as firmly back at Jenny, offering his hand to her like it was the most casual thing in the world. "_Remember_ me, Jenny. You can have them back if you stay here with me, forever. It's either that, or you all play."

That was when Jenny got it. The harshness of the situation-the reality. That he stole them, and now giving her the choice to either give herself up or make her friends play whatever game he had-A game conducted by a demon, that wanted her.

"No." Something was hard and tough in Jenny now, something was rebelling against his cruelty. "I don't care if you're evil. I won't let you win."

Something flickered in his face, and his hand dropped, but slowly, Julian's smirk returned to its fullest. "Your spite is marvelous. You always were so challenging… Very well. You'll come around soon enough."

Then, just like that, he turned and began to walk away.

A spark of terror struck through Jenny's chest, much like a child's fear at being abandoned. "Wait!"

"Oh, no. You mustn't stall, Jenny. There is a time limit, you know."

"_What_?"

"I will advise that you get some light before going to the first level." He stopped, still with his back to Jenny, and glanced over his shoulder. The look on his face, like perfectly placed marble with such cruel eyes, reminded Jenny of exactly _what _this man was. "Who knows what lurks in the shadows."

Then she blinked, and Julian was gone.

**Good? Lord I hope so. I got the first 23 pages simply but the last 10 with their conversation was hard to perfect DX I just got a really really good twist for this story that I think everyone will like! I just have to map it out very carefully. Sorry im so slow at updating. School, work, life, publishing DX forgive me! And don't forget to review telling me what you think ****J**** Till my next update!**

**ZVA**


	3. Chapter 3

Oh, it was so _delicious_.

Her fear. Her excitement. It was like a splash of cold water to the face, a shock of electricity.

And to touch her again….

Even after all these years, Julian didn't know what it was that made Jenny strike something in him, something so foreign, so _thrilling_, but he loved it all the same. When she had turned around in the lobby, he swore those forest-green eyes were shining brighter than polished stones of jade. Her flushed cheeks, her breathless voice; she had grown so much, developed so well. Everything compared to when she was a child, now…. He couldn't wait to play this game.

Julian had whisked himself away with a simple thought. He pulled back, out of the maze, and watched like a hawk. From the shadows, he could see everything as if he was standing right above the room, looking down like there was no ceiling. Now he stood above the lobby, watching Jenny's reaction to his sudden disappearance. How quickly her eyes scanned the room, then how nervously she tried to gather herself; fixing her hair, grabbing herself, breathing deeply.

Oh, it was so delicious. Watching her made Julian's gut stir with a hunger he's had since he first saw Jenny-no, since he was created. This empty, unnamable feeling that has long lingered in the back of his existence. Seeing Jenny, feeling her, just told him he would finally be able to satisfy this hunger; this feeling that just carved him out from the inside, making him feel so hollow, so cold. He figured he should be used it to it, but Jenny made this feeling shift and waver. He wanted to feel it with her beside him, in his arms, as **his**, once more.

So he was delighted when Jenny finally started walking toward the archway. But she stopped-a thought, a realization. She turned back, scanned the room. Julian couldn't help but smile when she approached the torch on the wall. It didn't matter how much spite she had two minutes ago, his words still had an effect on her; they always had.

In a throne made of shadows, Julian sat back like a King and watched Jenny take a deep breath, then carefully pluck the torch from the wall and venture into the darkness.

He definitely didn't make it easy for her. From what she could see of the firelight that ate at the shadows, there were three ways she could choose from, straight, left or right. What she _couldn't_ see, was that each direction led off into three more halls. The ones forward all turned left, eventually connecting at the corners up ahead, easy to confuse and go in circles. The ones that branched out at the sides led to some dreadful dead ends and loops.

Not to mention the traps.

But Jenny would soon come to that.

He could feel her distress easily; the uneasiness of exactly what she had to do, the fear of getting lost, the danger from the darkness. Still, soon enough, she took a step forward, deciding to go straight. She was grasping the wall as she walked, gazing at the stoned floors, the clay-like walls. No matter how much she ignored it, Julian could feel the curiosity dwelling in her; the way her fingers flexed when she touched the wall, how she was more concerned with the patterns on the wall than which direction she was going. To enhance it, all Julian had to do was flick a finger, and suddenly her hall was filled with light. The torches lit up one after the other, sparking to life with a rush of air and a wave of heat. Jenny gasped when it happened, watched in surprise as they rolled down the hall, a good couple feet apart, until she could see all the way down, stopping at yet another opening. Her amazement was there as she spun around, looking around as if he would suddenly be there to show off.

She walked a little faster now that she could see and ended up jogging -perhaps the slight mention of the time limit finally sunk in- to where the shadows met the light. It was another divide like the first, continuing on straight or cutting left or right. Julian watched as she peered a little left, then a little more right, but he had made it perfectly symmetrical, so she wouldn't be able to tell any differences in the halls until she was too far to turn back. Plus any writings on the wall were the same throughout, giving no hints as to where to go or any change in direction.

There was one difference he gave her, however. If she headed in the right direction, something would change. Something small, but noticeable, if she looked in the right direction. It was just a hint, only fair after all, and that was only if Jenny was smart enough to look for it.

Julian looked away from her for a second to look at his hand. Like a card game, he looked at what he had. Six pieces, all so interesting, minus one black, boring card. He threw that one aside first. He took it and dropped it in one of the rooms at the far end of the maze. He kept that room dark, the card unplayed, for now. His other options were just too hard to decide from. Oh, the weakest was always thrilling to throw in first, to see the panic in their eyes, how fast they squirmed. But then again, watching the strongest crumble in the very beginning was always the most satisfying. There was nothing better than making metal rust.

He put both cards into actions, throwing them just down the hall from Jenny. The others he scattered around the maze, in their designated positions, almost trembling at the fun they were going to have when Jenny activated them. When he looked back to the main player of the game, it was hard for him to admit that he was honestly surprised.

Jenny was pressed against the wall. From the hall that she had come from, she was holding the torch very carefully to the clay material, rotating it in her palm as she moved it back and forth. Julian had to lean forward, to peer closer at her, to fully see what she was doing. When she finally stepped away, Julian couldn't help but chuckle.

Jenny had made an arrow. Easily, she had burned the symbol into the wall, pointing back the way she had come. For a second, Julian saw her seven years ago, playing in the dark city streets, sparkler in hand. How gracefully she had etched her name into the cement with the firework, and in cursive. How the light danced off her face in the dark, colors sparking off her skin, illuminating her like some kind of tiny Goddess amongst the crowded shadows. How _beautiful_ she had looked.

Now she was surrounded in a glow of firelight, so soft against her skin, how it made her hair shine like honey. Julian didn't realize how entranced he was by her until she was halfway down the left tunnel. Oh, how quick she was, how sharp she was so soon in the game. Perhaps he had placed the first game piece too close to her because as she ventured headstrong into the shadows, she was already so close to them. Oh well. Already she was surprising him. He couldn't wait to see how she'd handle the first level.

Another flick of his fingers and that hallway lit up like clockwork, one at a time. Again, Jenny's gaze shot up, looking around for the one responsible. Julian loved it when her gaze when straight up, right into him, as if she could see him above her, watching her from the shadows….

….-

Jenny had the feeling Julian was toying with her. She looked up at the clayish ceiling, wondering if he was anywhere close-by, watching her fumble around. Was he in control of everything? Would he turn on the torches if she went down every hall? Or just the right ones? Or perhaps just the wrong ones. God, she didn't have time to think about it.

When Jenny looked back ahead, the sudden figure at the end made her gut sink to her toes. At first she was afraid, at the thought that anything could be in this place, until she saw the bright green shorts and the powerful long legs-

"Dee?"

Jenny full-on ran to the girl, who was too stunned to leave her spot. She looked the same as when Jenny saw last her a few minutes ago, a little ruffled up, but still in one piece. Her wide brown eyes were staring at Jenny with utter confusion. Although her pupils were dilated, there was anything but fear on the warrior's face. It was as hard as stone, fixed, but slightly cracked. "Were you screaming? Just now."

Jenny was ready to yank the other girl into her arms when she approached her, but the question stopped her in front of Dee. "Screaming?"

"For help."

"What? No, I just came from the lobby. We're….stuck here. Playing."

Dee gave a confused glance around them. Now that the hall was filled with light, she seemed to fully come to. "I woke up on the floor, and heard someone screaming for help." She looked back to Jenny. "Then you showed up."

Jenny began to say, "That wasn't me-" until the echo interrupted her. Another voice, a deeper one, bouncing off the walls.

"Somebody help!"

Dee immediately whirled around, opposite the way Jenny had come from, and waited until the next scream came in louder, clearer.

"Anybody, please!"

It sounded familiar. It sounded _close_.

Jenny felt her breath hitch in her chest when she recognized it. "Michael!" She and Dee bolted off without thinking, running right around the corner that the hall led to. The lights cut off there, diving them into a world of shadows, only interrupted by the light Jenny carried. The torches along the wall didn't light up this time as they ran down it. It stayed pitch black the entire time, going only by their single firelight.

The farther they got, the louder the screams got. The more frantic they became.

Jenny only stopped when Dee suddenly yanked on her shoulder, pulling her back. She moved Jenny's hand, the one with the torch, closer to the wall, where they saw an outline. Thicker than the markings in the clay wall, with a draft of air. The screams were coming from behind it.

"Help! Help me!"

Stepping back, the black outline went from the floor to the ceiling. Jenny would've ran right passed this hidden door if Dee hadn't have seen it. Yet, there wasn't time to figure it out. Dee had her shoulder wedged into it, longs legs extended against the floor for leverage.

"Push!"

Jenny immediately dropped the torch, ignoring the spark then the diminishing light as she put both hands against the wall and pushed. Nothing happened at first as they both shoved all their weight into the clay structure, and Jenny felt such an old terrible ache in the tendons of her hands. Then there was a shift and the wall began to move. Only on one side, as if on hinges, it slowly began to push in. Just like in the movies, there was the grinding of rock against rock, old material that hadn't been moved in years finally inching apart, then there was more light.

This wasn't another hall, but a room. A fairly wide room at first glance, but there wasn't any time to examine it as Jenny had planned. The screams came in as clear as day.

"Heeeeeeeeelp!"

There was something like a railing right in front of them, so Jenny ran to it, where the room dropped off below them. The story below them was made of stone and there was sand everywhere, covering the ground in a brown and gold haze. Amid it all was Michael. He was on his knees, thrashing and squirming around like a frightened animal. He was still screaming, but now in the same room, his voice was more high-pitched, more terrified.

They tried calling to him, but he was constantly moving, constantly screaming. Dee suddenly took off to the left where the railing seemed to dip down like a ramp. Jenny followed immediately, curving around the end onto the same golden floor as Michael. Dee pulled back for something, but Jenny ran up to her friend on the floor, stumbling awkwardly when she reached the sand. She had to raise her voice just to get Michael to comprehend that someone else was in the room. Only his upper body turned to see her when he did, and once he met her gaze, a terrible look crossed his face, as if he didn't want to see her at all.

"No, wait!"

And then Jenny stopped. She hadn't meant to, but something pulled against her feet, too quickly amid her run, and she fell to her knees. She landed in the sand where it hugged her bare legs in an itchy grasp. When she tried to get up, the grip went tighter, keeping her in place. Before she knew it, the sand had risen up to her knees, around her bent legs, covering her calves, almost to her heels. Jenny immediately stood tall on her knees and tried again to yank her legs up, but she was stuck. Stuck. In the sand.

"_What_?"

Jenny looked to Michael who hadn't stopped moving, and gasped when she realized he wasn't on his knees at all; they were gone. In the sand. He had sunken up to his waist.

Those cocker-spaniel eyes were so wide, the whites overpowered the brown. His pupils were so small, dilated with fear. He was heaving each breath, chest bouncing, head shaking back and forth, the rest of him trembling constantly.

"It-It's quicksand-" He said it quickly, breathlessly, and the laugh that came after it made Jenny jump in fear. His eyes kept looking at his hidden legs, hands digging at the sand that was easing its way up his waist. "I-I woke up in it-and-and-and I can't-I can't-" His hands dug deeper into the sand, upper body gave a good jerk, then the sand was higher, now around his wrists.

Jenny couldn't believe it, but it was right there. Crawling up her legs, scratching over her feet entirely, now over her kneecaps. When she jerked, it reminded her of those finger-traps she used to play with as a kid; the ones where you put your forefingers on each side and when you tried to pull them out, the straw-like trap would tighten against your fingers, trapping them. She felt like that now, the sand pulling against her tugs for freedom, drawing her in deeper. It was surprisingly cold, feeling this liquid sand wrapping around her skin. The feeling struck something deep inside her, something painful with fear.

"Dee! Don't-"

Jenny looked over her shoulder to see the warrior across the room, far away from where the sand even started to cover the stone ground. She was staring at the pit that Jenny and Michael sat in, blinking a million times as if waiting for it to disappear if she looked hard enough. Slowly, she shook her head.

"No, that's…."

Jenny was straining to look back at her, but she turned back when Michael gave a frustrated shout. He was still thrashing, waving his body back and forth like a fish on land, trying to jerk up, down, sideways, every way. Within the next few seconds, Jenny saw that he was at his chest in the sand.

"Mich-Michael! Stop, stop! You're only making it worse!"

"Get me out!" He was screaming. "Get me out! Get me out of here!"

"Michael you have to hold still! Moving makes it worse-You're sinking faster-"

"Get me out! I need to get out!"

"Stop moving!"

"I can't breathe! I don't wanna die-Help!"

"**Michael**!" Jenny's hand moved before she could even register what she was doing. With the shout, she slapped her hand hard and fast across Michael's cheek, stilling his screams in a flash. Those frantic eyes met hers and stared helplessly into them like a deer into headlights. "Listen to me! You have to stop! Do you understand? Moving it makes it worse! Michael-Look at me. Dee's right there. She'll get us out. Ok? You need to calm down. I'm right here with you."

Instantly his gaze flickered over to the other woman desperately, his breathing still wild, all the color drained from his face. Dee was still staring at them, still taking the situation into account. It wasn't until Jenny looked at her too and said aloud, "Right, Dee?"

Then those brown eyes seemed to fill back up, come to, and her back straightened. "Right. Of course. Don't worry." Then she pivoted, scanning the room as she moved much like a panther would to its jungle. Quickly she found some things in the corner. Along with some large closed jars and pots of gold, there were some type of scrolls. Dee snatched them, ran over, and unraveled one as she tossed it to Jenny. She tried to catch it, but Michael's thrashing only increased, his voice three times higher in pitch as he screeched,

"Me first! Me! Pull me out!"

"Hold on, Michael. Your hands-"

Dee got her footing quickly and, with Jenny tugging on the other end, she began to pull. It was a futile attempt to pull them out of something so wickedly strong with something so fragile. The fabric of the scroll ripped too soon. Michael began screaming as it tore apart, but Dee quickly grab the second one and tossed it to them again.

Jenny was desperately trying to keep her breathing even as she wrapped the fabric around her hands a few times for support. God, she had to fight the urge to squirm. If she was right, if anything she ever saw about quicksand in the movies was true, then she had to stay still, calm. It would go slower.

God, but a slower death was just more frightening.

No, she wasn't going to die. Dee was going to get them out. She was-

_RRIIPPP!_

The second scroll landed on top of the first, torn in two on the pool of sand. Dee threw the other half in frustration and looked around for more. Her gaze caught something, then she took off for the ramp they had came from. Michael was shouting again. He wasn't even making sense now. He was just shouting everything that came to mind, fear obviously raking through his skull, across his face, in his eyes. He was now down to his biceps, and the sand was closer to his shoulders. Jenny couldn't believe it, staring down at him, then at herself. The sand had swallowed her up to her waist now. She could feel it grabbing between her thighs, clinging to her skirt, dragging her down.

This was not what she had in mind for a fun day on the sandy shores.

"Jenny!"

Jenny's gaze shot up to the top of the ramp, where they had entered from. Dee was running her hands frantically across the stone wall. Under her hands, painted on the stone wall in a shade just slightly darker than the stones themselves, were pictures. There was no way Jenny could see them clearly, but Dee was shouting down to her.

"There are paintings up here. One looks like people stuck in quicksand." Dee glanced back at her, eyebrows pinched together, focused. "Could this mean something?"

"Just hurry up!" Michael screamed. "Get me the hell out of here!"

Jenny couldn't focus on two things at once. Trying to keep Michael calm enough so he doesn't kill himself faster, or concentrate on what the hell Dee was saying.

"There's one of a man by himself. I think he's watching them sink. Over here, he's gone." Dee followed down the ramp, tracing the pictures under her hands. "It's a story, I think. There's writing but it's all in Egyptian. I-I don't know…"

Just like that, it was like a light when on in Jenny's mind, clearing the darkness and exposing the answer so obviously. Her breath hitched when she realized it and the words came out breathlessly. "Oh, of course. Oh God, this is it. The game. This-This is a level. Solve the puzzles, remember?" her gaze shot to Michael, who was actually looking at her. "This is level one… Dee. Dee, you're level one." She looked up to the warrior, whose gaze had gone twice as wide. "You have to solve it. Whatever it means, whatever it says, that must stop the sand."

Dee shook her head. "That's-No, I can't. I have no idea what it says. There's nothing for me to pull you guys out!"

"It's a riddle!" Jenny stressed. A shiver raced up her spine when she felt the sand sink over her skirt, squeezing through her clothing like a liquid constrictor. She stared at the gold grains slowly swallowing her up. "There has to be something there-anything."

"But-"

"Just read it!"

The change in Dee was almost as obvious as Michael's fear. The way she stepped back, hands on her face, completely out of her comfort zone. At first Jenny didn't get it. Dee was unstoppable. She faced everything head-on, fists raised.

"But… I can't. I…I'm not good at…"

Jenny felt her heart sink. Dee was always wary on her grades. Her experience in book-smarts was very little. Her family even ridiculed her for it. She never did like talking about college. The fact that she had to solve a riddle in a different language with her friends' lives on the line must be utterly terrifying.

Michael was no longer screaming. He was hyperventilating again. His face was flush red, the whites of his eyes greater than his irises. All traces of his arms were gone. He was now sunken beside Jenny so low, all that remained was a frightened head of a boy. The sand was practically clawing up his throat, tracing the veins that popped out so viciously. He was desperately looking around him, no longer aware of his friends in the room, with the dreadful realization that he was going to suffocate and die. He looked ready to pass out before the sand even gets to his jaw line.

Jenny felt her mind sway, like her sanity was on a tightrope, stuck between a rock and a hard place with no option left to fall.

But Michael had already fallen. Dee was teetering off, and Jenny realized she was the only stable thing left to keep her, as well as herself, grounded. "Dee…Dee, listen I know it scares you-"

"If I don't solve it, you guys die!"

"Dee, look! I _trust_ you! You just have to read it!"

Fear turned to anger as she looked down and snapped, "It's in **Egyptian**!"

Jenny had to swallow hard and she swore she could taste the sand itching at her throat. The sand was now at her gut. It was going too fast. Every time she blinked it was three inches higher.

Focus. Breathe. Don't freak out. It's a game. Remember? He said there were rules. There's two sides to this. There _has_ to be a way….

Jenny slowly shook her head. "No, there… there has to be a way. It's impossible for you to just suddenly understand Egyptian…. Look at the pictures! The symbols, anything, Dee. There has to be _something_ there for you to read."

Dee started to argue again, but her dilated gaze got caught on Michael, on his head popping up from the sand like a trapped animal, and she stopped. Like a machine, she turned without another word back to the images.

The sand had gotten to up to Jenny's chest, right under her breasts, in total silence from her friend from above. Michael's head was now isolated around the frame of his face. His eyes wide, nostrils flaring as the sand filled into his ears.

"Talk to me, Dee!" Jenny shouted. "Tell me what you see! I'll help!" She reached a hand over and was just barely close enough to touch Michaels' cheek. She didn't know if he could hear her now, but she hoped she would at least calm him with this contact. Those cocker-spaniel eyes were glazed over, but they drilled into her all the same, desperately, hopelessly begging without words.

Dee's voice was loud, but uneven. "Ok-Ok so there's a man, uh, watching. But then he's gone as the people sink. There's three of them in the circle, uh… There's a light around the circle in the next one. Then…One's out. There's the light and then he's out. Oh, God. I don't even know what this is."

"It's ok," Jenny heard herself speak rather than felt it. All she could feel now was the sand crawling up her chest like disgustingly itchy hands. "Just describe it. Look at it, there has to be something…."

"There-There's just blobs. I don't know. It looks like they just smeared paint all over the place. Oh, then behind it, there's only one man standing left. The circle's empty… Then it shows the two people kneeling. Oh, God. What does _that_ mean?"

"Is there anything else?"

"There's some kind of symbol above them, but I've never seen it before. It…It doesn't look Egyptian. I don't know…"

Jenny had to close her eyes and picture the images like Dee described them. A man by himself, then he's gone. Three of them in the circle, the sand. Then a light, and he's free. Then a mess and they're gone.

"It's a story, or something." Jenny said aloud, her eyes still closed. "It has to be. Whatever that man did to cause the light is what got him out."

"What, fire?"

"I don't know."

"But what's the big black thing?"

"I-I don't know. But it has to-Ahh!"

The touch of sand under her fingers made Jenny snap her eyes open. The last bit of brown hair was swallowed by the sand, just under her hand. Jenny didn't mean to scream, but it was helpless. She immediately dove, the sand keeping her still from the waist down, and basically laid her torso down upon the sand. She dug her hand into the sand the best she could, and the sand seemed to dissipate and stretch around her attempts until it closed around her wrists. She was reaching for Michael, for his hair, his face, anything, but there was nothing but sand. Sand that was now crawling around her arms, her shoulder, wrapping around her back.

"Dee-Dee, hurry! Michael's under!" She couldn't even focus on the puzzle anymore.

"_What_?"

Jenny knew Dee was jumping back to look over the ramp, but she couldn't. They didn't have time. "No," she screamed back at. "Look at the drawings! What else is there?"

"Jenny-"

"Dee! What. Else. Is there?!"

Jenny couldn't turn to look her friend in the face anymore. The sand had her weight glued down. She felt crumpled up, her legs sunken in an air-tight seal, with the upper half of her body now spread out forward. She would've had a cramp in her side if it wasn't currently swallowed by sand.

In the next moment, the sand was at Jenny's jaw line. She felt her hair being tugged down her back as it was swallowed with the back of her neck. Completely trapped like this, Jenny felt herself concentrated in her bones alone, like a skeleton packed-tight in the dirt.

She felt weightless. She felt nauseous. She felt the entire world sinking with her, draining of sound, of breath, of life, as her head began to sink under.

It was just then, right as the sand began to engulf her face, that she heard Dee scream back at her. Was it Dee, or was that her conscience? The last strip of her life screaming pathetically in her own mind. It didn't matter anyway, because in her next breath, the sand invaded her nose. It filled her to the brim, dragging her completely under in a sandy casket. Gripping her tight as a vice on the outside, it raced into her nose and down her throat, scratching the sensitive tissues beyond repair. She couldn't breathe. She couldn't even struggle. God, how helpless it was to die like this-unable to move, unable to beg, unable to cry.

The fear sprung images to Jenny's mind; Images of her parents, of her friends, of Tom-

-the image of the small boy, standing star struck in her closet, made something ache its way up her body. It was cold-so cold it burned. It began at her foot, her left one first. Quicker than she had been engulfed, it raced up her leg, dragging such an intense cold up her thigh, then it started up her other leg. She couldn't feel them anymore, not in the cold. They were just two dead weights hanging underneath her. They seemed as if they were dangling in the sand pit under her, but that didn't make sense. But it did-The cold seeped all the way up to her waist, letting her weight fall into it, while the sand started to fill her lungs. She was gagging on it, desperately trying not to open her mouth to make matters worse, but God, she needed to breathe-

Suddenly the pressure of the sand pulled away-as if stretched apart by some unseen force, and Jenny dropped. The sand fell with her, throwing her down with its massive weight, until she hit the ground. She felt her body collide with cool stone, then the sand quickly draped off her. The first thing to be freed was her head, the sand falling off in chunks, and Jenny instantly choked. The sand was in thick, liquefied chunks which made her body retch to get them out of her throat. The weight of the sand slowly fell off her body and spread out onto this new ground. Like an hourglass that had been shattered, the sand dissipated from its center pile, which Jenny currently sat in, and continued to stretch thinner.

When Jenny finally opened her eyes, they were watering and she continued to get her breathing back by gagging even as she looked above her. The ceiling was not far, with two giant stones missing where the rest of the sand continued to slither out from. Beyond that was more stone. As if the pit of quicksand had been covered by a layer of stone, she had fallen through the sand, through that space in the ceiling, and into this other room. It was too confusing to even try to understand, especially when Jenny felt something in her throat get lodged, cutting off her breathing, until she had to force it up amid some coughs. It hurt, but she was finally able to breathe clearly. Her nose burned, her eyes still watered-Hell, she was still buried in the sand from her hips down, but she was alive. But Michael-

"I've got to admit," the sudden elemental voice filled the room, drawing Jenny's head up in a flash, "I didn't think she'd solve that one."

Julian was parallel to her, standing so politely with his arms behind his back. His clothes were different. He was wearing some kind of white tunic for a shirt, the material cutting off sharply at his biceps and his waist, dropping to his pants in a _V_. The new top hung very loose on his shoulder, barely peeking at that sleek collarbone, and exposing such sharp hipbones. Jenny finally noticed the torches that sat in the corners of the blank walls behind him, casting a very soft orange glow against those white locks. When she glanced behind her, there was a wall right beside her, as if it had erupted amid the pile of quicksand. Something told her that her friends laid behind it, but that didn't make sense. If anything, Michael would be in front of her, not behind.

She was still stuck on her knees, so she was looking up at him from the ground, hands and legs still engulfed by the thinning sand. At first seeing him only surprised Jenny, but then something dawned on her. After almost dying, falling into this tiny room, in a pile of quicksand barely breathing, this man was as calm as ever. The suspicion was shown through a teary glare.

She had started to speak, but a plethora of coughs interrupted her. The terrible itch ached its way up her throat, as if the quicksand was still inside her, thickening and choking. By the time she got a good breath in to speak, the sand had dissipated enough under her for her to get her hands free. Julian watched the entire time, intrigued in her efforts to stand, nevertheless speak.

"Was that you?" It came out very rough, followed by more coughing. "Were you controlling that? Back there."

"Of course." He took a few steps closer, till those piercing eyes like sapphires were turned down to gaze at her. "I told you, remember? I can control _anything_."

The last word came out like a hiss, making something coil inside Jenny. The way he looked down at her made Jenny fight harder to get herself free. It took a few more tugs and struggling, but she finally got one leg free. She was able to lift it up, kneeling on the other stuck leg, although thick globs of the stuff were clinging to her skin. It felt terrible, and unbearably itchy.

"We almost died!" She got out amid her struggle. "You tried to kill us."

"Not you," he said smoothly. "Never you, Jenny. And it's not my fault who lives or dies. It's theirs."

"What?" She was interrupted again by more coughs.

"Their fears, Jenny. That's what this is all about."

With firm footing, Jenny jumped up, hoping to rip her other leg out of the last of the quicksand in one quick motion. And it worked. However, her other foot had sunken just enough back into the sand and she toppled forward.

Julian caught her easily, snatching the hands that instinctively stretched out to break her fall. She landed against his chest, hands trapped under his own, one foot still stuck in the sand. Forest green met impossible blue from mere inches apart, and the déjà vu was sickening.

Or maybe that was from almost dying a minute ago.

With Julian holding all of her weight so easily, Jenny was able to pull her foot out, finally free of the wretched sand, mind the patches were sticking to random parts of her like glue. She was staring up at him, at those blue eyes, but was coughing again before she could even think of thanking him. It was a deeper cough, one that echoed in her chest and ached in her lungs. She pulled away, covering her mouth as she desperately tried to catch her breath, but she couldn't fight the coughs from continuing. Breathing in straight quicksand was definitely not healthy. When she looked back up, Julian was holding out a glass of water.

It shocked Jenny so much that she looked at him as though he were crazy. After experiencing his otherworldly control first hand, the simple matter of where the hell he got the glass mattered very little to Jenny at the moment. Even though he was offering her something that would help, his smile was still the same as before, back when he was talking about taking her _as his_.

"You told me not to-" Another cough. "To trust you."

"It's only water."

"It's probably drugged."

Julian dramatically rolled his eyes. "Oh please, Jenny, we don't need something pitiful like that to get what we want. Besides, something like drugging you would be too dull. So."

He motioned the glass closer to her, eyebrows raising as if taking it was the most casual thing to do right now. Jenny hesitated because she really didn't know what to make of this man-this _thing_ of a man. Not human. Not kind. Half an hour ago she was arguing with him, two minutes ago she was suffocating in a pile of quicksand, and now he was offering her a drink. She didn't know what to think-what to do.

What she did know, however, was that every time she swallowed it was like scratching sandpaper against her throat and the urge to cough was only getting worse. So silently she took the glass from him. It was even cold, although there was no ice in it. Drinking it brought immediate relief, easing the itching in her throat and the burning in her lungs. The cool glass on her lips reminded her how chapped they suddenly felt, and the coldness seeping down made her realize how sweaty she was. After drinking about half the glass, she lifted it and pressed it to her cheek, letting the condensation run down her face in relief.

Julian's eyes widened.

With a relieved sigh, Jenny set the glass down on the floor by her feet. She cleared her throat and said, "Thank you…But…How did you do that?" As if he didn't know what she was talking about, Jenny looked up to the hole in the ceiling.

Julian almost chuckled. "Would you really like to know?" He waited until Jenny looked back, and thought about it before giving a firm nod to him. "It's simple, really. A mere trick of the mind. Like this."

He pulled his hand from behind his back, drew something in the air with his finger, then plucked a torch from the air. Jenny didn't mean to gasp, but the sudden spark of light, dropping out of nowhere into his hand was too much of a surprise. The orange firelight reflected in his snow white hair, like neon orange highlights, and casted a shadow over half of his face. The smile he wore was all too pleased.

"I was surprised your friend actually solved it. Considering she was only eleven when she was informed of the runes."

"Wait-What? You mean Dee?" Jenny asked as Julian turned and placed the torch in a slot against the wall. It was there Jenny finally realized there was only one other torch in the room-behind her-and showed her exactly how small this room was. She was only a few feet from the wall behind her, with Julian almost in arm's reach, and the opposing wall directly behind him. It was smaller than a children's bedroom, with no doors-pure isolation.

Julian turned back, hands gently repositioned behind his back, and took a few steps toward Jenny. "Yes. Her greatest fear was the failure of her 'book-smarts.'" Julian pronounced that oddly, as if it was slang he wasn't used to. "What a better challenge than to solve a near-impossible puzzle with her friends' lives on the line?"

His smile gleamed danger in the firelight, and Jenny felt a spark of anger swell in her. "That's cruel."

Julian merely shrugged. "Would've been worse if she hadn't have solved it." He took a step closer, eyelashes drooping heavily over those sapphire eyes.

"So," Jenny began slowly, "The reason I'm ok is because Dee solved the riddle?" Then, a spark of fear. "Wait, what about Michael? Is he ok?"

She started to ask where he was, head turning to the blank wall behind her, when the gentle touch on her chin drew her head back. It was a smooth gesture, gentle and slow, but the strength that lay in the two fingers under her chin was enough to make Jenny's knees grow weak. Julian didn't answer her right away. Instead, he dug himself in her gaze, settling there firmly before sliding his hand gently up her cheek, grazing the back of his fingers across her skin in a touch as light as gauze. It sent goose bumps racing down Jenny's neck, all the way down her spine-a feeling she remembered.

"They're back in the pyramid," he said quickly, "only because she solved the riddle."

At first Jenny was simply stuck there, with Julian's fingers tracing her cheekbone, thumb easing it's way to the corner of her mouth. He was so close-too close, actually. But if she stepped away, she'd be trapped against the wall. She should push him away, she should knock his hand away, but the shivers-the sliver of sensation that passed from his hand into her skin seemed to sink its way into her blood, making it rush with a lightness she didn't understand. It was like a high of some sort, making her feel weightless and a bit dizzy.

She couldn't bring herself to push his hand away. Instead, she cast her gaze aside, forcing that mystical blue out of her mind.

"You-You said runes. Is that what you used?"

"It is." His hand slowly pulled away and traced the same symbol in the air. It was one shaped like a crossed over _D_. "It's how we Shadow Men work."

"A Shadow Man?" Jenny asked and even though he was no longer touching her, the tingle was still rushing through her veins, waking her up, striking her curiosity. Oh God, maybe he had drugged her. "That's what you are?"

Julian smirked, so haughty and damn pleased with himself. He silently crossed his arms, lifted one hand and twirled a finger. The flames on the torches behind them flickered heavily, almost blowing out as if being hit by a massive gust of wind. Sparks trailed off the ends and filled the tiny room, circling the two of them in tiny glowing specks. None of them died right away; no, they remained in the air, dancing around them, circling faster than ever possible. A few purposely circled Jenny, racing up from her legs, winding around her body like a fiery tornado, until finally dying through her hair. It was enchanting, really. Jenny couldn't help but smile.

"Remember?"

Jenny did, somewhat. She remembered this-She remembered lights, tiny lights, circling the two of them. Where was unclear. But she did remember-Remember the runes, and that title-of a Shadow man.

"You're-You're like….a demon or something. You play games-That's your power. From the runes-" Then it hit her. "Wait, that was you in the riddle, wasn't it? The man in the picture with the symbol and the light-That was you, using a rune to get us out. Right?"

Julian's finger stopped and slowly the sparks died, fading out and dropping into ash. "Sadly, no. Deidre guessed correctly by saying that the user in the pictures was using a rune-hence the symbol under him. But it was not me."

Jenny squinted at him. "Then who was it?" Julian didn't answer her. Instead, he merely looked around them, at the walls, at this Egyptian maze. "The Egyptians?" When Julian smiled, Jenny asked, "Wait, the Egyptians were using runes? But…." Jenny couldn't exactly remember why, but the thought didn't seem possible.

"It's true that the runes are _our _power source, but it's not limited to us." His head cocked to the side, and his gaze just dropped slightly under hers. "How do you think I was trapped in that closet?"

To suddenly think back on that day, of that closet door, something sunk in Jenny's gut. But it was nothing compared to her next thought.

"It was my grandfather," she said carefully, "wasn't it?"

Julian replied with his eyes alone, as if able to change them in such a way that words failed to describe. "Ah, but it wasn't entirely his fault, was it?"

Jenny's throat swelled up in an instant as she remembered running down those stairs, to help her grandfather, to close the door-

-Was it because she interfered that Julian got stuck in her closet? Because her room was right above the basement? There were so many missing pieces. None of it made sense.

"It doesn't make sense," she admitted to which Julian replied with nothing more than a wicked smile, like he fed off of her confusion. He probably did. "Why are you doing this?"

"Oh, Jenny, didn't you hear me? You're the prize at the end of this game." His gaze flickered up and down her body then, and it was nothing like a stranger checking her out-No, his gaze was like one a predator would give to its prey, mouth-watering, and so _hungry._ "I've waited a long time to make you mine."

Jenny couldn't fight the shiver at that. She blamed it on the cold and looked away. "But-_Why_?" Jenny couldn't do anything besides shake her head. "Be-Because of that day? Twelve years ago-I was just a kid. I don't get it."

Julian merely shrugged his shoulders. "So was I. Although I age differently, I was barely created when I met you. I was still learning the ways-Discovering what I am, what I could do." Then his gaze dropped to the side, his features softening if just slightly. His tone changed, so subtle, but Jenny noticed it all the same. "Can you picture it, Jenny? Something evil, something born only to cause fear and death, just barely figuring out how to drive a mortal man insane-When, out of nowhere, comes a little girl. Human, gentle, _innocent_. And she _talked _to him." He met her eyes again and there was a new fierceness to them; a look Jenny couldn't describe. "How was I supposed to be prepared for that? I couldn't control it. It's your fault it happened, you know."

Jenny almost didn't answer because she was picturing it-she was remembering-imagining her younger self with him, talking outside that door every day. How he said he was evil and yet he talked of such beautiful fantasies, of wondrous gifts, to please her, to be _with _her. But what he said, that it was her fault, made her ask, "T-That what happened?"

"Falling in love with you."

There was an elemental ring to his voice, like a chime going off somewhere, that just made the words that much more astounding. Jenny's breath hitched.

"You don't remember," Julian added. "Otherwise you would've already known that."

He said it so casually, brushing the words off like they were the most simplest thing in the world. Jenny didn't know how to react-what to say-what to _do_. A feeling suddenly swelled up in her chest, choking her breathing, spurring a bit of pain where she didn't know if she wanted to laugh or cry or collapse or run.

"I-I don't understand," she finally got out.

Something changed in Julian's gaze then. They seemed to go a shade darker and his head tilted back a little, gaze never leaving hers. "Mmmm, then what _do_ you understand?"

Jenny almost didn't know what to say to that. Well she knew Julian. She remembered that day twelve years ago; she remembered the countless times they talked through that door. She remembered the first time she saw him-And now they were here, in this impossible place, having to play this game.

"If I took you," he asked quickly, smoothly, "what do you think would happen? Hm? What would I do with you?"

The question came out of nowhere, but Jenny found herself thinking on it. What _would_ he do?

"I don't know."

"Care to take a guess?"

He was closer now, almost cornering Jenny, and that feeling of excitement-that high of when he touched her suddenly terrified her. To talk about something like this, with that feeling-

-Jenny had no idea how she would react.

She tried to step away. "N-No. You said there was a time limit-I need to go back-"

"I'll give you extra time if you answer me."

Jenny actually stopped at that, and in her pause, he truly had her cornered. She pressed herself against the wall with a torch on her left and Julian blocking her from the rest of their room. He looked so intrigued; it was dangerous-_He _was dangerous-

"Y-You're lying-"

"I'm bargaining."

Oh. Right, Jenny remembered. Not clearly, but somehow in the haze of her memories the terms "Shadow Man" and "bargaining" went together seamlessly.

"What do you think would happen, Jenny?"

Jenny hesitated and had to fight the urge to bite her lip. "You…I don't know, you would make me play more games?"

Something flashed under those heavy eyelids of his and he gave a hum of approval. "Only if you wanted to."

"So, what?" she asked carefully. "I'd have a choice?"

"Of course. I said anything you wanted. And I do mean _anything_, Jenny."

"I don't believe you."

"Then let me convince you." He said it so skillfully, Jenny could only compare it to the perfect salesman; so persuading, so easily, that'd you have to be a complete idiot not to believe him. It struck something deep in Jenny's chest. "You can ride on the wings of a pterodactyl. Swim for hours without drowning. Things you never _dreamed of_."

"Stop it."

"You remember me. You remember _this_."

Then he was touching her again, running the pad of his thumb over her cheekbone in a touch as light as gauze, fingers brushing the hairs on the back of her neck, making Jenny unconsciously stand on the balls of her feet, rocking from it-

-before she pulled away. She had to. She needed to stop listening because the more he kept talking, the more Jenny remembered. She _had_ dreamed of him. Or she remembered-just bits and pieces of Julian-when he was younger-and her-_Together_-

"You want it, don't you?"

"No-Stop. I don't need all those things." Once Jenny said it, she felt a bit more clear-more aware.

"But it would be exciting, wouldn't it?" He asked it so slowly that Jenny was prepared to snap something back, before he added, "To have what others don't."

At that, something awful sank in Jenny's gut.

"There's nothing wrong in wanting something for yourself. I want to spoil you, Jenny. Why should you deny that? **He **doesn't spoil you-"

"Stop it, right now. Seriously."

But Julian was continuing. "He's not good enough for you, Jenny. He can't pamper you. How can he say you're his one and only when he treats you the same as everyone else?" Jenny wanted to stop him, to interrupt him, but…he was right. Tom was always very cool around everyone else, acting the same with other girls the way he acted with her. Then Julian asked, "Has he even told you he loves you?"

Ooh that stung. Jenny did her best not to show it, but she was sure Julian had already seen it. "Stop. Please."

"I would never make you feel the way he does. The way he treats you. I want to wrap you in the finest silks, the rarest gems. I want to show you _everything_ the world has to offer. Including worlds you didn't know existed." He moved closer, making Jenny start to choke all over again-this time not on sand, but of a feeling she couldn't name. "Let me show you, Jenny. Give me the time to convince you and when you remember, you'll never feel like that again."

He reached for her again and Jenny couldn't pull away. She wanted to, she _needed_ to, but her body just didn't move. Before he could touch her, however, she mumbled, "Stop-Stop."

"Do you really want me to?"

"Yes."

"Alright."

Surprisingly, he stepped back and Jenny found the air to breathe again. But even from a distance he still had her trapped, under that gaze alone.

"Just a fair warning," he chided not long after, "the levels will only get harder as you go on. And once someone loses…its permanent."

When Jenny understood that, the lightness in her blood hardened like lead, and she scowled. "You'll kill my friends just to have me?"

"If I have to."

"How could you do that?"

"Because I love you. I've loved you ever since we first met. Remember? When you heard me in your room because of a silly nightmare-"

"I remember," Jenny responded firmly in order to keep herself stable. "I remember talking to you and you told me you were _evil_ and now I believe it. I can't love something evil."

"Don't knock it till you try it, love."

The playfulness in his voice spurred a sense of lust in his words, and with that salacious look, Jenny felt herself blush.

"T-Take me back to my friends. I can't beat you if I can't get to level two."

"What's the magic word?"

Oh, Jenny was usually one for manners. Adults always praised her on her patience and kindness. But in this moment, with this man, Jenny didn't feel kind at all. "Now."

Julian laughed, a haughty one that made Jenny feel weak somehow. "Alright. But when you want to be done with this game-when you _remember_-all you have to do is call for me."

For some reason on those last words, all Jenny could picture was running into her old bedroom, straight to the small door in the back. She remembered-She saw it so clearly.

_Little five year old Jenny jumping off her bed to sit on the floor, in front of the door. "Julian? Julian!" She even scooted closer, knocking on the wooden slits, cupping her mouth and calling louder, "Julian!"_

"_No need to yell," the mystical voice came through the door, making Jenny smile and sit back._

"_I called and you didn't answer!" She whined._

"_I'll always come when you call, Jenny."_

_Jenny seemed to get over this rather quickly because then she smiled and asked carefully, "When's your birthday? Zach's is coming up on-on August twent-twentieth and mine is not for a while, but when is your birthday?"_

"_I don't have one."_

"_But you have to," she pressed. "When?"_

"_Remember what I told you?"_

"_That you weren't born?"_

"_Yes."_

"_But then how-You're lying."_

_Julian's chuckle was like a flicker of a candle flame, soft but fierce. "I was created, Jenny. Not born like you."_

"_Well, what day were you created?"_

"_It's not like that," he explained. "I'm evil. There's no reason to celebrate that. I'm not human, remember?" Little Jenny didn't seem to like that because then dropped her gaze to the floor, pouting. Julian had paused, then his voice came back as light as a breeze. "But why don't you pick a day?"_

"_What?"_

"_Choose a day for me, and one day we'll celebrate it together. How about that?"_

_Jenny immediately jumped to her feet, hair swaying as she bounced on the balls of her feet. "Yeah, yeah! That'll be fun!"_

"_Then what day shall it be?"_

_Jenny sat there for a moment with a finger on her chin and when she finished, her face lit up like a firework. "Today! Let's make today your birthday! Happy birthday, Julian!"_

Then the image of little Jenny went running around her bed, giggling, probably to grab a toy of some sort-Jenny didn't quite remember the rest. The memory passed with a great shudder down her spine, and when Jenny came to, she noticed Julian was gone.

For a minute Jenny could only stand there and wonder why. Why would he talk to her if he didn't want to kill her? Why would he want to please her-want to spoil her, just from childish nonsense like that? How long had they talked for-Bonded through a closet door for a few weeks? How could he…love her?

A rumble suddenly jerked within the walls, making Jenny catch herself. Sand fell from the ceiling, as the rumbling got louder, then came the grinding of rock against rock-from behind her.

Jenny turned where the wall was rising, disappearing into the ceiling, and revealing another room. Before it was even fully lifted, Jenny saw the familiar dark brown legs, and she dove under the wall where Dee stood tall-With Michael.

Jenny never felt so relieved. "Oh my God-Guys! _Guys_!" She charged at them full speed, no longer caring about the itching remainders of sand lingering all over her skin. She landed in a fierce hug with Dee first, since the warrior was already standing. Michael was on his knees, coughing viciously. "Are you all right? Oh, tell me you're ok. What happened?"

Dee motioned for the wall beside them. "Well the sand pit disappeared, with you guys in it. Then that wall opened up. When I got in here, I found Michael gasping like a fish."

Jenny dropped to her knees, throwing her arms around his neck. "Oh, Michael, I'm so sorry. Are you ok? Can you breathe?"

He was trembling and wheezing, but he attempted a smile and nodded. "I-I might need…surgery to get the s-sand out of my lungs," he said between coughs, "But I-I think I'll live."

Jenny gave a small huff of a laugh, settling back into herself, relieved that they were both ok-they had lived. Then came the sudden remainder of the other lives at stake here, at the game, the lack of time. She jumped to her feet. "We got to go," she said quickly. "How do we get out of here?"

Dee scanned the room with her, showing nothing but cobwebs and shadows in the corners. "Maybe a hidden door? That'll be fun to find again."

"A-Again?"

"We'll explain later, Michael," Jenny added as she ventured closer to the walls and slid a torch from its slot. "We only have a limited amount of time. We got to get the others, quickly."

"Wait, so we're actually playing the game?" Dee asked from across the room, her voice echoing in an ancient eerie way.

"We have to. Or-Oh, over here!"

The dark outline stood out once Jenny had the torch, the firelight exposing the door inside the wall. It took Michael a minute to get to his shaking knees, but soon he followed Dee over to Jenny's side. She had to hand the torch to Michael as once again her and Dee resumed their positioned and pushed the door open. It opened to a hall, exactly the same as before, dark and sandy.

Michael's expression dropped much like a dog's ears would when upset. "Where are we?"

"A pyramid," Jenny said dully. "We have to get through it to go home. Come on."

"This is actually happening?"

"Yes, this is real. Oh, wait. Michael give me that."

Without explaining, Jenny again burned an arrow pointing to the door. Dee gave such a smile that a part of Jenny felt proud because of it. "Smart thinking."

For a minute the three of them stood there, staring into the blackness like it was some kind of portal into another world.

"The House of Anubis," Dee said with something like a twinge of thrill in her voice. "Should be fun."

Then she took the torch from Jenny and together they began to venture into the darkness.

….-

It was the silence, the careful treading down the dark halls for a while that brought forth the anxiety in Jenny. As much as she really wanted to deny it, she couldn't get Julian's voice out of her head. Of the things he offered, of everything he said. She didn't understand, but…she believed him. After just one round, Jenny believed what he could do, and that if she wished for anything he could…give it to her. Why was still the question she couldn't seem to answer. But Jenny remembered him-And he knew more than she did about what happened. Maybe if he just explained-

The thought actually terrified Jenny. Of the two of them, human and demon, sitting down and talking-_flirting_-like a normal couple was just-Jenny actually pictured it; the two of them sitting at some ancient Egyptian table with candles on the table, hieroglyphics marked everywhere, on hills of golden sand.

The shiver she got was all too sweet-too dangerous.

"Have you thought about it?"

Dee's question made Jenny flinch. "W-What?"

"The riddle," the warrior clarified. "Remember on the bus? He gave us a riddle to solve. Michael, do you know what it means?" She held the torch up higher when they came to a fork in the tunnel, again leading into three different directions, and they stopped.

"L-Let's go left," Jenny said. "And mark an arrow on the wall, too."

Once they started walking again, Michael brought it back up. "I'm not good at those things. I could barely do tongue twisters in school."

But Jenny remembered, and she quoted, " 'In the darkness, I lurk. Born by thought, Time is my breath. I am created in a second, but last a lifetime. Thriving, I can revise time, but remain immortal as I am lost. What am I?' "

"Aw come on, that's a really hard one!"

Dee nodded in agreement, then guided the two of them around the next corner. The flicker of the shadows as the firelight came into view, destroying them, only made Jenny feel worse. She was too nervous. Too curious.

She looked at Dee besides her and gave Michael a glance, who was currently digging sand out of his sleeve. It was a horrible thought, but Jenny felt like she needed to say…something. To vent to someone.

"Hey, Dee."

"What?"

A moment of silence passed where Jenny honest-to-God couldn't find the right words to say. Trying to phrase the confusion in her head without sounding crazy herself was damn near impossible. "That…guy from the bus. The one from the lobby, he's….uh…"

It was her hesitation that made the warrior look to Jenny a bit oddly. "He's what?"

"His name's Julian. He's the one responsible for this….I-I was talking to him."

"What? Really?"

"Y-Yes. But he…." There was no easy way to say it, so Jenny took a deep breath and just blurted it out. "I know him."

They stopped walking. Jenny really wished they hadn't, but once Dee stopped, so did Michael, both of their gazes on her like they she had just sprouted a third eye or something.

"W-When I was a kid," she explained nervously. "I met him when I was five. He…He just talked to me, but… He's not…human."

"Whoa, whoa, hold on." Dee started to intervene, but Jenny heard her tone-completely subjective, refusing to even begin to believe what she had to say. If she did that, if Michael did the same thing, they wouldn't listen to her.

So Jenny jumped away from her comforting hand, standing firmly before her friends with her chin held high. "No, _listen_. I didn't believe it at first, but it has something to do with my grandfather. I think he was using magic or something-I don't know. I-I thought he was just an imaginary friend or something, but…he's real. And….He wants me."

Jenny thought it would be the most difficult to say that last part, but surprisingly it came out very light on her tongue, almost ticklish, like it had just fully dawned on her.

"What do you mean he _wants_ you?" Michael questioned with the firelight from Dee's torch making him look a lot tanner than he was.

Just _say_ it, Jenny told herself.

"He wants to keep me. He said he loves me-And he'll do anything to have me." She gestured around them. "That's why we're playing. And if anyone gets hurt here it's real."

"Well I believe that," Michael said, rubbing his sore throat.

"We have to go through the levels in order to win, and they go off our biggest fears. That's how we got out just now, Dee. Because you solved the riddle. How did you figure it out anyway?"

Jenny was hoping the question would ease some of the tension building in the air, but Dee's expression didn't change. "I remembered that symbol. Aba had told me a story once about a wizard who was using dark sorcery. He was using runes. The story on the wall was that the man had used a rune to save the people in the quicksand. Once I said it out loud, you guys disappeared. So, what you're saying is after that, he came and talked to you?"

Jenny tried to keep her voice steady. "Yes."

"Well, what did he say?"

"I just told you. That we're stuck playing until he…wins me."

They both studied her for a long moment, reminding Jenny of the time they did not have to waste. Michael started to ramble on something, merely to understand, but Dee already saw it. That almost supernatural girl instinct that saw right through the look on Jenny's face, and she threw the torch at Michael.

"H-Hey!"

Dee turned Jenny around, slung an arm around her shoulder, and kept them just a few steps ahead of Michael as they continued down the hall. "What else did he say to you?"

Jenny wasn't too sure exactly what she should tell her, but she needed to say _something_ about it. "That if we don't win by the end of the time limit, then I stay here with him. If we win, I go home with you guys-But it's more than that, Dee." She had to run her fingers through her hair, get her head back on straight. "I _remember_ him. When I was five, we talked. I knew he wasn't human and I knew he was evil and I still-"

"You were a kid," Dee quickly interrupted. "You cannot blame yourself for any of this. He's _forcing _us to play so he can-can steal you to be his bride of Frankenstein in the Underworld? Who does he think he is, Hades?"

Jenny shook her head. "He's a Shadow Man. He can see our darkest fears and he can control anything. He can make things appear out of thing air-He created this whole place. That's what he does. Plays games, makes bargains, to get what he wants. He always promised me-"

Jenny finally bit her tongue when she realized she was rambling, and with that realization she looked up to her friend a bit in shock. Dee was staring at her a bit alarmed. She stopped her from walking with a firm hand on the shoulder. "Okay, uh before we go…_there_," she said the word a bit awkwardly, "let's just focus on finding the others."

The topic slipped away easier than it had arrived, making Jenny's gut tighten with a feeling she wasn't too sure about. She must've been making a face, Michael too, because Dee jumped in front of them, her smile overpowering the shadows around them. "Hey! We can do this! We'll find the others, beat the levels, and go home."

She met Jenny's worried emerald eyes and added, "Then we'll deal with _that_. All right?"

Jenny tried to find a proper thank your or even a honest approval, but no words seemed sufficient enough so she merely nodded.

Dee released her with a firm nod back. "All right then. Let's beat the Devil at his own game."

She pulled Michael forward, taking the torch back before he could burn himself. Holding it up above them finally exposed the long stretch of hallway that rested ahead of them. "W-Wait," he butted in, stopping in front of the girls. "How are we supposed to beat something that's…not human?"

Dee shrugged that off like it was a simple question from a math test. "Easy. We find him and kick his ass."

Jenny could only breathe a sigh and nudged Michael to keep walking. "It's not going to be that easy. It took us a while to figure out that the key was the riddle in the last round. We have no idea what's going to be next."

Michael turned with a worried expression and began walking first, saying, "As long as there's no more quicksand, I think we-"

It was the slightest noise, but it triggered something dark in the air. The scuffle of rock against rock, a quiet _shunk_ as the stone Michael stepped on sunk lower into the ground. By the time they all saw it, the rumbling began to grow within the walls, producing terrible noises from all directions-shifting, moving, opening-noises that could be anything in the hall of an ancient pyramid.

The fear came like a stab to the gut.

"**Run**!"

The second they started running, the ground began to tremble, hard, throwing them into the walls, causing them to trip. The noises only got worse, spurring them to keep running, but it was so hard to run at full speed when you could only see three feet in front of you. They could run into a dead-end, or a wall of spikes, or _worse_.

Something sliced the air right by Jenny's ear, causing her to gasp, but she didn't have to look back. The needles came flying out of the walls from the right, piercing the air and striking the left wall so hard that they firmly stuck out. Dee all but shoved Michael forward, screaming, "Go! Go!"

Jenny desperately tried to keep up, covering her head, trying to avoid the spikes that were flying. She felt the sharp pain slice behind her shoulder blade, her shin, her arm. Michael screamed and grabbed his arm, but they kept running.

It was then, right off the firelight, that Jenny saw the glint of something just up ahead-something sticking out of the ground-

"Michael, look out!"

She yanked him back by the shoulders, causing them to stumble into Dee, landing against the left wall. There was a quick _thunk_ and Jenny screamed as an arrow as thick as her hand pierced the wall they were on, landing right between her head and Dee's. Right below Michael's feet was a pit of spikes, resting just a few feet under the ground, low enough to have you impaled once you fell in-

The needles had stopped flying, but now arrows had begun to take their place. Now that they were at a still-point, Jenny saw exactly how large those spikes were, coming from the ground, getting _longer_-

No, they were getting taller. They were rising, coming up from the pit, about to block their only way out.

"Jump!"

Jenny went first without thinking, throwing herself over the pit of spikes that were just at her feet. By the time Dee got Michael to jump, the spikes were at his knees, causing him to tuck them in awkwardly to make it across. Dee didn't hesitate. She tossed the torch across first, making Jenny stumble to catch it. Then the warrior took a few steps back and dove as hard as she could, arching herself over the spikes like some professional diver. But Jenny saw blood, and Dee landed hard on her shoulder, rolling to her back with a pained expression.

An arrow pierced the wall over Jenny's shoulder, causing her to grab Dee by the shoulder and yank her up. Michael helped, his voice three times higher as he shouted, "Come on-_Come on!"_

They started running again, and soon they could see the end of the tunnel. There was light ahead, dim, but visible, lighting up the hallway way for them. Jenny dropped the torch behind them, allowing herself to run faster, harder, to try and avoid the arrows that continued to fly. When they pierced the wall, they were the same size as the width of the hall, practically blocking it off completely. It caused them all to duck and jump and maneuver around them as they ran faster-harder-

But then the light revealed something that made Jenny's stomach sink.

The ground was broken. Just a few feet ahead was a ledge, a massive piece of ground missing from their path, separating them from the doorway of light just up ahead. And the closer they got, the farther the space got. It grew longer, wider, more impossible to cross.

Jenny didn't get the chance to warn her friends because they were already on it, running too hard to stop so abruptly. She could only give a shout as she launched herself off the edge, passing the chunk of darkness under her. There was a moment-the tiniest sliver of time-where Jenny felt her body hover in the air, how weightless she felt, how the pain was numb, and the only thing she could hear was her slow surprised exhale ripping through the air.

Then she hit the other side. She barely landed at all, the broken edge of stone colliding harshly with her waist, aching in her hips. But Jenny grabbed the ground, scraped her feet frantically against the stone hanging under her to kick herself up, over the edge. Dee landed in a roll beside her, landing completely on the other side, almost colliding with the doorway ahead of them.

Just as Jenny got all the way up, she heard the shift of rock ahead of her the same time as she heard Michael scream beside her. She turned to see Michael barely hit the other side, only his head and arms on the ledge, and quickly sliding off. Jenny dove for his hands, catching him from falling, but his weight started to drag her over as well. He was screaming, scrambling to get a grip on the edge while Jenny was trying to stop herself from sliding off the edge with him. Then the weight came on her legs, Dee pinning her to the ground, stopping them from going over.

"Hurry!" She shouted. "It's closing!"

Jenny didn't bother to look. She pulled on Michael's arms with all her strength, desperately tying to get him back up. After their frantic scrambling, he finally found a place on the wall under him to give him some leverage and he jumped, getting the upper half of his body over the edge. Jenny got to her knees and yanked him completely to safety, the same time Dee jumped up and dove through the doorway.

She forced Michael to his feet, screaming at him to hurry up, to not give up. The door was just ahead, but a wall was closing behind it, sealing it off, as slow as possible. And it was already at their waist, getting way too close to the ground.

Jenny screamed _louder_.

They had to take three quick steps and dove. Michael went head-first, covering his face as he went sliding underneath the closing door to the other room. But as he went under, the stone was just above his head. Jenny couldn't make it. There wasn't enough room-It was going to squish her-

She dropped down into a slide, legs first, and turned her head to the side without thinking, feeling the stone brush the air just above her cheek. But she didn't go far enough, her hair sprayed out under the stone. She sat up, pulling herself out completely from the closing wall, right as the stone met the ground, sealing them inside.

With that, everything was quiet.

The door closed off all the commotion, all the chaos, rendering them in a gut-wrenching silence. Jenny could only stare at the stone wall before her as she anxiously tried to catch her breath, unable to believe that they made it-they actually _made _it. Passed the needles, the arrows, the spikes; jumped over a moving cavern, and through a closing wall. She heard Dee huff a laugh behind her, while Michael was too busy hyperventilating to speak.

Jenny looked back at them, to share her victory smile with them, that was until she saw Dee's bloody stomach. The blood was seeping through her fingers as she sat there, clenching the wound tight. "It's not bad," the warrior reassured her immediately. "Not too deep. Just hurts like hell."

Jenny crawled over to her, her mind racing a mile a minute. Was it from the needles? The spikes? Oh God what if they were poisoned-like in the movies? What if she bled out? What if she didn't make it-

But Dee was removing her tank top very carefully, revealing her in her dark blue bathing suit top. She bit into the seam and ripped it down the side, making it into one large cloth. Then she wrapped it around the wound and tied it off as tight as possible. Once done, she wiped her bloody hands on her green shorts, staining them a sickening brown, and smiled.

"It's going to take a lot more than _that_ to stop me."

Oh, the strength in those dark brown eyes was so pure, so explicit that it was like an infectious disease, spreading through Jenny and relieving her of all the fears going through her mind. Jenny turned to check on Michael, but he was already on his feet. He was standing at the edge of their new room, which was hardly a room at all now that Jenny looked at it. The back wall was gone, instead creating a ledge that dropped off into a completely different room.

"Audrey!"

Immediately, Jenny and Dee were on their feet, coming up beside Michael to gaze down into the new room. It was massive, made entirely of the same stone they had seen in the lobby, covered in various different markings and symbols. There were six large statues against the walls, three on each side, looking like they had been crafted out of gold a long time ago, with chipped paint and faded writing. Between each one was a torch, lighting up the room equally, with shadows in each corner. In each of those spaces between the statues was something black. They were like craters of some sort of black liquid, constantly moving and reflecting up at them.

Against the back wall, parallel to them, was Audrey.

She was crouched on the ground, head bowed, hands over her ears. She did not move when Michael called for her.

Almost in unison, the three of them looked down, but they were at least a story high, and directly under them was another one of those black pools. There was no telling how deep it was or what the liquid even was. If they didn't break something trying to jump down, they could probably drown , or hell, in this place it could very possibly be tar.

Michael's breathing was instantly twice as fast, the fear quickly growing in her gaze. "Audrey!"

Jenny laid a careful hand on his shoulder, more to stabilize them both so they don't go toppling over the edge, and she called very carefully, "Audrey? Audrey, are you ok?"

But the redhead said nothing. Not even a flinch. She stayed there, kneeling down, blocking everything out.

When Michael tried calling for her again, he was interrupted by a very sharp noise. Almost like a hiss, so abrupt that it made all of them jump.

That's when Audrey's head snapped up, and the look on her face-

She was beyond terrified.

Her eyes were wide, swollen with tears, lips trembling, hair a mess-But she didn't look to her friends up across the room. Her gaze went straight to the statues on the walls, frantically looking back and forth between each one, unable to blink-unable to believe what she as seeing.

Before anyone could even think of what to do next, the statues opened all at once with vicious pops followed by clouds of dust. It was there, seeing the design on their doors that everyone realized they weren't statues at all.

They were coffins.

And out stepped six ancient, disgusting mummies.

Audrey screamed immediately-A scream Jenny had never heard before. It was pure fear, the kind that ripped through your soul-the _helpless_ kind of fear. Hearing it made all the blood in her body drop to her toes, striking her with a frightening dizziness.

"Audrey, run!" Dee was the one who screamed it, but Audrey couldn't hear her. She only covered her eyes, cowering into herself again as each mummified body came crawling out of their cases and headed right for her.

"What is she doing? Why isn't she running?"

"I don't think she can hear us, Michael."

"We have to help her!"

"That fall could kill us!"

Michael was panicking, stuck between standing there and screaming or trying to help. Dee was his barrier, unsure herself of what to do. Jenny, for some reason, fought the panic boiling up inside her.

Because as she stood there, among the screams and the fear and the dead, all she could focus on, all she could hear was Julian's voice back at the beginning. When he spoke to Audrey directly, saying, _"But you would know all about monsters, wouldn't you?"_

Jenny didn't know what Julian knew, but if he knew their deepest fears-if Audrey knew of _monsters_, then this was the key.

She snatched Dee's shoulder since Michael was still screaming at the redhead. "That's it," she said quickly. "Those must be Audrey's biggest fear."

But she isn't-"

"We have to stop them."

Dee processed that for a second, then looked back to the panicking girl in the room below her. She started to say something, swallowed it, then sighed. "I'll go."

Michael finally caught that, wild eyes snapping back to her in an instant.

Dee then got to the edge and swung her legs over it, bracing herself. "I'll keep them at bay and slap some sense into her."

The concern was immediate in Jenny-from the large cut on the warrior's stomach-but a terrified scream from Audrey below made her stifle it down.

Before Dee dropped down, she patted Michael's shoulder with a smile. "Don't worry. I'll save your prissy princess." Then she jumped.

It came in a split second-the reminder of the black pits and what it could be. It was right as Dee landed in the black pool that they realized it wasn't any type of liquid at all.

It was a pit of beetles.

Dee landed knee-deep where the pain came instantly. The insects began clinging to her, biting right through her skin, eating her alive. Jenny screamed when she realized what was happening, but the warrior didn't wait. She launched herself out of the pit, crawling over the edge of stone onto the floor. She had to fight the beetles off, smacking and kicking until the clumps of black bugs went skittering back into their pits. From Jenny's view above, her legs were nothing but red.

"Dee!"

"I'm fine!" She shouted and was on her feet in the next second, running right for the arch of mummies.

They already had Audrey surrounded, just a few feet away from her as she continued to cower against the wall. One was reaching for her, letting out a disgusting man that even Michael and Jenny could hear from above. But Dee dove between the bandaged bodies and kicked the arm away. She planted herself in front of the sobbing redhead, bloody knees bent, fists raised.

"Audrey, get up!"

Audrey actually lifted her head, eyes swollen but focusing on the girl blocking her from the mummies. She blinked a million times, as if waiting for the image of Dee to merely disappear. "D-Dee?"

Dee quickly round-house kicked the nearest mummy. "Stand up, come on! We're getting out of here."

Audrey started to say something, until her gaze caught the mummy Dee had kicked. Now on the ground, the monster rolled to its stomach and began to crawl towards her. She screamed.

Dee turned and snatched the redhead by her arm, forcing her up. "Look at me!" She was shouting over her screams. "You're not dreaming! Get up!"

But Audrey was pulling against her grip. Unable to focus, unable to even breathe right. Dee couldn't get her to stand. She was shouting something else when-

"Dee, look out!"

One of the mummies had its arms wrapped around Dee from behind. It took one simple thrash, then Dee was on the ground, with two more on top of her. All Audrey could do was scream.

Jenny panicked. Before she could scream for her friends, Michael moved in her peripheral vision, sitting on the edge of the stone. "Michael, wait-"

But he dropped anyway, landing farther back in the pit of beetles then Dee did. And his scream made Jenny's skin crawl.

Everything was muddled. Jenny couldn't think straight. She needed to jump down, too. She needed to help her friends who were currently being attacked and eaten alive and beaten-

But then came another sound, the slightest escape of air from right behind them. Jenny turned where the wall they had just almost been crushed by was gone, opened and revealing down into another large room, a replica of Audrey's. Only in this room, there weren't mummies. There were people.

But they weren't normal. They were dressed in strange garments, with golden plates hanging over their chests, oddly shaped metal helmets over their heads, and-Jesus, the majority of them were carrying _spears_. They were guards, Jenny realized, as they appeared circled around something. One of them was taller than the rest, with a larger head-piece. He moved to reveal a couple clay jars on the ground, some weird piece of metal, and a table made of stone with-

A girl on it.

"_Summer_!"

She couldn't see much of her, just her head between some bodies of the guards. She wasn't gagged, wasn't tied down from what Jenny could tell, but she wasn't moving either. She was lying there, eyes wide open, as the five guards circle her table. There were the same pits of beetles randomly around the room, including a circle around Summer's table, much like a moat. One of them handed something to the one at the end of the table, and they crowded around Summer's feet.

Then the grinding was back. Something was moving, rock against rock, and at first Jenny couldn't tell what it was That's when the sand came falling from above, making her realize that her ceiling was moving, too.

Coming down, to crush her.

The next thing Jenny knew, she was jumping off the edge.

She landed right in the pit of beetles, finding it only knee-deep, but in order to catch herself she fell on her hands. Immediately, the pain followed suite.

Like a thousand tiny red-hot needles, they shot across her skin, racing up everywhere she touched. She screamed, but she didn't hesitate. She forced her way through the pit, dragging her limbs through the squirming, burning bugs which she could only imagine was like walking through tar. They were everywhere, biting her, crawling on her, _eating_ her, but she grabbed the edge and hauled herself out as fast as possible. They followed her, clung to her skin, her clothes, continuing to bite until Jenny felt blood running down her legs. She unconsciously swatted at them, jumping around in order to get them off, but then she heard it-the slight whimper from across the room.

The guards were at the end of the table. There were two on each side of Summer, pinning her arms down to the table, while the other two were at her feet. Summer was staring down at them with eyes bigger than softballs-a thousand yard stare, never ending, unbelieving.

Jenny ran. She ignored the pain and ran up to the table, having to go around one of the pits that sat in the center of the room. It was only there did she see what the two guards had in their hands at the end, and what they were doing.

Summer's bare little feet were now wrapped in bandages, tightly, securely, and the guards were continuing to wrap her up her legs. They were mummifying her. Alive.

Jenny pulled herself to a stop behind the guards, she had to-unable to concentrate, unable to think-This was Summer's fear. She was being mummified-But it couldn't be that specific. She couldn't fight them. Was that her weakness? Being weak? Not being able to scream, to do anything, _to die_?

Her mind was racing a mile a minute. There was nothing else in this room, nothing for her to use. She was panicking, thinking-anything to stop them, to break her friend free-

Until one of the guards moved and revealed the rest of Summer's body.

She was only a head left, her blonde hair sprayed out over the edge of the table, and her small slender neck a pale white compared to the stone under her. Jenny was wrong-She was too late. Her whole body had already been wrapped in the bandages-so tight she couldn't even squirm. The guards were lifting her by the shoulders, wrapping her chest, constricting her air flow-

"Summer!" Those sky blue eyes-so terrified, so helpless-met hers and everything in Jenny snapped because that feeling she got, from that look alone, was like that of a parent losing their child.

Jenny charged at the table, jumped in front of the guards themselves, and began to rip at the bandages. It was stupid, but it was the only thing she could think of. They grabbed her immediately, but Jenny fought _hard_. She screamed. She kicked. She threw her elbows back, she punched, she struggled. She did everything she could to keep their attention on her and not the small blonde on the table.

She wasn't even making sense, shouting anything that popped into her head. "No, you're not taking her-Summer, get up, you're not weak-Fuck you get off you can't do this-Summer please stop-You bastard-"

Then came a grip different from the others. It grabbed her by her biceps and literally yanked her off the ground. Jenny shrieked and flailed until the world whipped away from her. She hit the ground hard, right on her shoulder, flipping and landing on her stomach. The air was gone from her lungs, making her cough and wheeze as the pain radiated over every inch of her body, reminding her of the cuts on her legs.

The hiss of metal made her jerk her head up, no matter how bad the pain was. The guard facing her-the one that had thrown her-was taller than the rest. His head piece was different, as black as death, with empty vessels for eye holes. He was clearly in charge because the others instantly parted as he drew a blade as long as Jenny's arm. It hurt, but she scrambled to her feet. He was facing her, challenging her, and Jenny's mind immediately went into a panic. Yet, he didn't attack her. He was turning, raising the blade up high, right above Summer's chest-

"No!"

Jenny threw herself on top of the blonde without thinking, colliding with the blade on its way down. She felt her hands hit the handle, saw the blade fall out of the guard's hand, and tumble over the edge. Then came the pain.

Her forearm had a slice running up the middle, the skin around it a nauseating white until the blood surfaced and began to _pour_-

Once more the largest pair of hands had her, lifting her off her feet once more. She hit the ground on her side, feeling pain spark on her hip and shoulder, but it was nothing compared to the feeling in Jenny's chest. It made everything tingle and ache, and spurred her back to her feet.

The leader was facing her, ready to fight her, towering over her with such ease, but Jenny wasn't scared. She was _pissed_.

The next thing she knew, she had her hands on his chest, smearing blood as she drew the slanted _X _without hesitating, and she screamed, "_Gebo_!"

The whole world throbbed.

Everything stopped; the guards, the mummies, her friends, time itself-It all halted as the leader stumbled away from Jenny. The red from Jenny's blood began to glow and burn, and it covered his entire body in seconds. Then there was an inhuman sound of some sort, and the body dropped to the ground, limp. The heavy metal mask toppled off, where clumps of ash spilled onto the floor.

Jenny was staring so hard her eyes burned. Her body ached, her head hurt, and-Jesus Christ her arm-

But then the hands were on her again, all of them from every direction. They grabbed her so hard, so quick, Jenny didn't even have time to react. They had pinned against the wall, two hands pinning her shoulders down, another pair on her throat, and the third holding a spear to her chest. Her toes barely reached the ground, gravity pulling her down, air unable to reach her lungs. She was choking, bleeding, and about to be stabbed in the heart all at once.

She saw flashes of things-memories. Well, the saying about seeing your life flash before your eyes was true, then. Because she herself with Zach when she was just a kid. The day she learned to ride a bike. Swimming with Summer. Meeting Tom in second grade. Her mother's cookies. Hugging Julian in a crowd of yellow flowers-

Above the guards' heads she could see the image of Summer lying on that table began to get fuzzy. Oh Summer, I'm sorry, Jenny thought weakly as the spear collided with her skin-

And yet, the pain didn't come.

The guard froze, holding the sharpened rock just above her skin, right between her breasts. In fact, they all stopped. The hands around her throat loosened just a bit, the hands on her shoulders slacked. They all stared at her so intensely, that Jenny thought that maybe they were waiting, to see her reaction, maybe to watch her expression if they killed her slowly-tortured her.

Then her feet hit the ground. She was released from the wall, the spear taken away, but the hand remained around her throat. They stayed there as the other two guards pulled away and turned back to Summer. Then Jenny heard the grinding of rock against rock behind her. The guard suddenly shoved her back, striking pain in the back of her throat, but instead of hitting the wall, Jenny fell into nothing. She hit the ground of a completely different room, landing on her open arm, spiking so much pain that her vision went white. She was cradling it on the floor, holding her arm just under her elbow, but there was just so much blood her hand was shaking-slipping-

It was the grinding again, and the disappearing of light that made Jenny look back up. She could only see half of the guard left as the rock wall began to slide back into place going right to left. Jenny stumbled to her feet, screaming, begging, but she wasn't fast enough. The last thing she saw clearly was the guard turning toward Summer's table, where the blonde was mummified up to her nose, leaving only a pair of terrified blue eyes looking right at Jenny, before the wall closed.

Jenny fell on it, screaming, hitting it until the pain in her arm proved otherwise. To her right was just another wall, the end of an small enclosure, so Jenny turned to the left, running without thinking. She saw him, standing in the center of the room right beside her, but Jenny ran passed him anyway into the corner of shadows in hopes of finding a door, a window, _something_.

But a torch came to life on the back of that wall to reveal nothing but a dead end.

"No!" She screamed. "Nononono you can't _do _that!" She turned on the Shadow Man who was standing stiffly with his hands at his sides. His usual smirk was long gone. "Open it!" She demanded. "Open it right now-Let me back in."

"Jenny."

"I can't save her if you put me here-Open it!"

"The levels' over, Jenny."

"No that's cheating! You can't stop me-"

"Jenny-"

"They're going to _kill _her!"

"I've put the game on _pause_, Jenny." It was the tone of his voice, still so mystical and yet so firm; it seemed to find Jenny's sanity among the panic and the fear, and with such a strong gaze, he was able to pull Jenny out.

She felt the exhaustion as she settled back into herself, and the fog lifted in her mind, clearing the terrible thoughts and helplessness. The only thing that remained was the thudding of Jenny's heart, and the _pain_-

Jenny clutched her arm in a spasm of pain, but looking at her hand-which was nothing but a sleek crimson red-only resulted in the room spinning. So she looked back to Julian, who didn't look so well himself.

He was dressed the same as Jenny had last seen, vest and all, but a few stray bangs of his snow-white hair had fallen in his face, and those usual crystal blue eyes were a deep, troubling indigo. He was staring at Jenny's arm with a look Jenny couldn't identify.

She couldn't even focus. 'Pausing the game' didn't make sense. "Y-You're lying."

"Am I?"

From behind his back, Julian pulled out an hour glass. It was fairly large, just above the size of his hand, where he stepped over and placed it upon a small table on the side of the room that Jenny hadn't noticed before. Once he set it down, the sand inside stopped falling. Beside it, Jenny saw in the dim firelight, was a bowl and a cloth.

"I control everything here, Jenny," he said clearly. "Even time. Imagine I froze all your friends in place as soon as you fell in here."

"B-But the guards-"

"They are frozen as well. As you said, it wouldn't be fair. And we Shadow Men are all for a fair fight." As if to clarify, he drew a shape in the air. One like a vase on its side that was familiar, but impossible to tell at the moment.

Jenny heard him. The words came to her, but it was like going in one ear and out the other. Nothing made sense when she was practically bleeding out. The pain made her mind feel like a thousand bugs were battering around inside her skulls.

"W-Why would you…do that?"

Again, Julian's gaze flickered to her arm, seeing something that made his bridge of his nose wrinkle in confusion. "I'd rather if you didn't bleed to death."

Then he held out his hand, like everything was that simple.

Jenny looked at it and had to blink away tears she didn't know she was holding in.

"I can heal it for you. Give me your arm."

Jenny had to stand there for just a moment, desperately fighting as the pain threatened to take over her common sense-her grip on reality. She was honestly stuck for a moment, unable to decide whether to give in to the pain, or to fight it.

"No," she said firmly after a moment. "Let me back in. I'm going to save her."

"Jenny-"

"No, _Julian_. I care about her, now-"

"And I care about _you_." It came out fierce, and abrupt, like a slap to the face. He punctuate himself by motioning his hand for her arm. "You deliberately put yourself under that blade-You let yourself get hurt and that's breaking one of the rules, Jenny. Now let me heal you."

That's when Jenny finally recognized that look in his eyes. She had seen it once before-where was unclear, but she remembered him-years ago-looking at her like that, with eyes so dark, so **concerned**.

He was worried. About the cut, about her bleeding out. He didn't want her to die.

Well he did say he loved her. They had known each other years back-But he said he was evil. Why would he play fairly-Why would he care? How could he love her?

But it was then that it all dawned on her. _She_ was the main playing piece. She was the only bargaining chip she had against this Shadow Man. If she was the prize at the end of all of this for him, then the only way she could fight back was using herself.

So Jenny let go of the wound on her arm, allowing the blood to pour freely down her arm. It hurt, yes, but Jenny sucked it up-She _had _to. For Summer.

Julian's gaze widened and he looked back at her with a whole new intensity. "_Jenny_."

"Give me Summer," she said carefully, "and I'll let you heal me."

Something changed in Julian's eyes; turning his gaze ten times fiercer, like blue flames flickering at her dangerously. "Careful Jenny."

"No, you don't _get_ to control everything. If you want to heal me, then give me Summer. Call off those guards."

"That's not how it works, Jenny."

"I'm bargaining."

It was there, the way she said it so directly, so straight-forward, that made Julian's lips curl back up into a smile. He saw something Jenny couldn't see. Something, Jenny feared, that she did not remember.

"How about you let me heal you," he said very skillfully, "and I _won't_ kill her."

The fear struck Jenny but she held her place-stayed calm. Oh, but it was so hard when she felt a roll of heat travel from her head to her toes-dizzying. "You won't kill her."

"Don't test me, Jenny."

She heard the threat, felt it in the air, as the flames of the torches flickered just slightly. "I mean you won't be able to. I won't let you." She punctuated herself by stepping toward him, still holding her arm slight off to the side, allowing the blood to drip to the floor. The burning seemed to worsen when Julian looked at it. "And that wouldn't be _fair_. You just said so yourself."

There was a stillness in the air, something very taut and tense, like a frayed rope about to break. Julian looked like he was processing something very difficult, his gaze still on her arm the entire time. In the pause, Jenny started to feel dizzy. If she passed out, then Summer would-

"Y-You promised me more time," Jenny remembered. She felt the words leave her lips, but she honest to God couldn't tell if she had said them correctly. "I answered your question and you promised me more time. Give that to me."

"I already did."

Jenny felt the spark of frustration, but the nausea hit her so hard that she had to cover her mouth. Her knees felt too weak-She was going to fall. Somehow she knew that if she fell, if she collapsed, then Julian would win this bargain.

"I told you, Jenny," he said suddenly, but his voice didn't sound right to Jenny. "I never lose. Just let me heal you."

Jenny couldn't answer because it was there-In his eyes. In the way he stood there, confronting her with such practiced patience, that told Jenny she couldn't win. Not unless she passed out. But if she did, forget about her friends, she'd die-No, he said he wouldn't kill her. Like she could trust a demon. But she had-

Her thoughts were jumbled. She couldn't make sense of anything, of the round, of the game, of the Shadow Man before her.

"The offer's still open, you know."

Oh her mind was clogged, stuffed with cotton, and Julian's voice still came flowing in like water over rocks. "W-What?"

"End the game, Jenny. Just say the word. I'll return your friends, heal you, and we can go home."

Jenny almost gasped. "N-No."

"Then your friends lose this round-"

"That's not fair!"

He said something else, something cocky and so damn full of himself, but Jenny missed it. She couldn't win. Even if she passed out and bled to death she still wouldn't win. She was the main bargaining piece, she tried to bargain and she wasn't going to win unless she gave in. But she couldn't, she couldn't just give up completely-

Then it hit her.

"Convince me."

Jenny didn't realize she was the one who spoke until the question came through Julian's eyes, through the tiniest gesture that only Jenny could ever notice. She lost the world for a second, stumbling once more until she caught herself on the wall. The pain wasn't so bad anymore now that she thought about it.

That wasn't a good thing.

"O-One round of the game," she was mumbling, she knew she was, but she got the words out anyway. "Y-You can take me for one round o-of the game. But y-you have to give me back….when they finish it." She didn't see the face he made, one of pure, unexpected thrill, because she was looking at her arm-which she was now seeing two of. Oh God, she was going to hurl. "G-Give me Summer…._And_ Audrey. You can heal me, a-and-for a round-"

The next thing Jenny knew, she was sitting on the ground, perched up against the wall. Her head felt like it weighed a ton, it was so hard to keep up, and her arm-

It was on fire.

But she didn't have the breath to gasp. She couldn't even whimper. She writhed in silent pain, unable to scream or cry. The moment she squirmed, Julian was there.

He had her arm extended with a cloth around the center of the wound. He was grasping her forearm in one hand, while the other was in Jenny's hair, coaxing her head up. He was shushing her, such a gentle lull, almost like white noise. And his touch-so cool-seemed to wake her up, bring her back.

"Look at me, Jenny. That's it, good girl."

He spoke so calmly that Jenny just had to meet his eyes. The shadows were dizzying for only a moment, but his striking white hair, those beautiful blue pools, put an almost immediate stop to the spinning. Jenny had to stare at him, to blink numerous times and breathe and take him in, just inches from her. And he stared right back.

The burning grew deeper, seeping right into her veins, burning through the rest of her arm. She winced-

"Look at me, Jenny."

She did; she didn't look away.

The pressure in her head was draining away, slowly but surely. She felt the blood settle back into her, the weight of gravity lessening. The fog in her mind began to clear, and she could think.

She finally realized she was practically in the Shadow Man's lap, her legs curled on top of his as he kneeled before her. The wall was supporting her, but it was Julian's touch, holding her head up so effortlessly, that seemed to bring the strength back into Jenny. She felt it, the slight spur of power easing into her bones, and she remembered.

It was hard to remember it right away. She struggled to bring the memories up, fighting hard with her mind when her arm felt like it was being hit with a flamethrower, but she did it.

She remembered this-Being this close to Julian. With him healing her like this. Not her arm, but her knee. She had fallen as a child, scraped her knee. She remembered crying, then Julian was there, wiping away her tears, cupping her knee in both hands, shushing her as he did now. Where didn't matter. The fact that Julian came from the shadows just to heal her, because she called for him, was too much for Jenny to handle.

She felt sluggish, and so very tired, but her voice came out clear, hushed. "You've done this before."

Julian seemed to take a moment to process that. "Of course. I always came when you called for me, Jenny."

There was a very tight pinch under the cloth where Julian immediately released her chin to grasp the wound with both hands, just like all the times before. Jenny did her best to ignore the pain.

"But how?"

"You don't remember yet."

His gaze finally dropped from hers, to the cloth over her wound, and he spoke gently. "I never left you, Jenny. I always watched over you. I never let anything hurt you."

Something sweet touched Jenny at that, but it followed with a hint of bitterness. She went to say something else, but her head was just so heavy. The world now seemed so far away, leaving Julian and Julian alone here before her. But even then he began to grow a bit fuzzy. When Jenny realized she was passing out, she fought it-So hard she tried to force her mind to wake up back up, to do something.

But Julian's touch was back on her cheek, as soft as velvet, and his shushing was like drawing a curtain over her consciousness. She couldn't help it. She fell into the darkness to the sound of Julian's gentle voice, saying, "I accept your deal, Jenny…"

**Whoo 43 pages! If that isn't love right there, I don't know what is xD Again sorry for the wait. Publishing a book and filming a short film and being a Production Assistant for marketing Company is a lot to handle! But I'm not giving up on these stories, I promise. Just be patient :D**

**As of those who liked my story Dark to light, light to Dark, I will be making a sequel. Keep your eye out for it ;D**

**Anyway please review and let me know what you think! Suspenseful enough? Hehehe**

**Till my next update!**

**ZVA**


	4. Chapter 4

She was dreaming. She knew she was. Surprisingly, she dreamed of Tom. Of when she first met him in second grade. How he slipped, and fell off the monkey bars, and Jenny was the one to help him up-His dorky smile. Jenny remembered meeting him at break a lot-She saw it, her little figure running out to the playground ecstatically to meet the small boy at the picnic tables.

Most specifically, she saw him sitting alone in the pool. How at first she was confused, until she got in the water with him. How he told her, and _only _her, that he had broken his leg. And Jenny didn't go running off in panic because Tom himself was scared. Instead, she sat with him until their friends left, so as not to see him cry.

But the memory was different now. As she saw herself sitting in the pool with him, the water of the pool started to grow darker, bit by bit, until it was a sickening red. The water turned to blood in an instant, and by the time Jenny had realized it, Tom had fallen under-

"Jenny!"

Jenny awoke with a terrifying jolt. She was on the ground, perched against the wall like she had been before-before…

It wasn't until Jenny saw Dee rushing up and kneeling in front of her, with the Egyptian hallway lighted by the torch in Dee's hand, that Jenny remembered where she was-What was going on.

She sat up fast-too fast. The room spun, making Jenny grab her head-then gasp and look at her arm. But it was fine-Not even a scratch or drop of blood. Right, she had basically been bleeding to death, and Julian...healed her. She felt a little nauseous and tired, but she was fine. She was alive.

Dee was grabbing her in an instant, checking her face. "Are you all right? What the hell happened? Where did you _go_?"

"I-Uh-The wall-"

It took Jenny a full minute to sort out everything that had happened. It all happened so fast. It was starting to give her a headache. They had escaped the traps, then they found Audrey. Right, Dee and Michael had jumped into her room. They didn't see her jump into Summer's-

Oh God, Summer, the deal-

"Jenny?"

Jenny looked up immediately at the small voice and there stood the small blonde herself. She was there-un-bandaged-dressed in her bright blue sundress with the white flowers scattered at the bottom and her matching flip-flops. Just behind her she saw Michael hand in hand with Audrey.

She couldn't even speak. She forced herself to her feet, snagging the younger blonde in her arms so tightly-she didn't let go. She was alive-her _and _Audrey. She didn't see any blood-Any wounds.

A part of her was relieved-immensely relieved and happy-but the other half was completely shocked.

What _exactly _happened?

"Oh God, are you ok? Did they hurt you? Do you even _remember_-" Jenny was speaking too fast. She finally held the blonde at arm's length, looking her over. Not a single scratch, or bandage. When she met those sky blue eyes, they were wide and so very confused. Summer gave a silent nod, and Jenny helplessly wrapped her in her arms again.

She looked to Audrey over the blonde's shoulder who was clearly shaken, but the redhead was hugging Michael's arm for support. She gave Jenny a weak smile before dropping her gaze down to the ground. Michael, on the other hand, was leaning against the wall. He was pale, weak, and Jenny saw blood on his shoulder.

There was a lot of catching up and explaining to do. Apparently, Michael had full-on tackled Audrey to the ground and stayed there, allowing the mummies to claw and attack his back instead of her. Now his back was a bloody mess, covered in welts, but he was still standing. Audrey had come to her senses somewhere among the struggle and tried fighting back.

"My father used to tell me folk tales like that all the time," she had explained. "There was one about some…guards that got betrayed by their pharaoh. So they came back from the dead to drag to him to the Underworld. It gave me _nightmares_."

Then, out of nowhere, all the mummies had dropped to ash-Just like that. Gone. Jenny figured that must've been when she made the deal with Julian. If he really had frozen them in time, they wouldn't have noticed the difference. She didn't dare ask Summer what she went through after Jenny disappeared in the other room. She couldn't image the small blonde trying to unravel herself from the bandages, alone and terrified.

But they all ended up back in the hallway. None of them were too sure how that happened. Then the torches had came on, and they saw Jenny sitting there, unconscious.

Jenny got them all to start walking again, unsure of the game's time limit, besides her own. They had to help Michael walk since every step was like clawing at his welts all over again. She and Dee explained the game to Audrey and Summer, and all the rules and riddles and that their fears were the main piece. Once Jenny explained exactly who was behind it, Audrey's fear was gone, replaced by spite.

"That bastard!" She snapped, coming to a firm stop in the hallway. "How dare him! Who does he think he is?"

"A Shadow Man," Jenny said without hesitation. It seemed to shock them a bit. "Like I said, he's not human. He controls fear and darkness. He does it through games-"

Audrey grabbed Jenny's shoulder in a flash. Jenny was expecting another sassy insult, but the redhead's face had gone as white as a sheet, her anger long gone. "Wait….A _Shadow _Man?"

"Yeah, it's the same guy from the bus," Dee answered.

But Audrey couldn't respond. She met the warrior's eyes a bit in shock, then her gaze fell to the floor. Jenny saw her fear, how she was unable to fully process whatever terrible thought was going on in her mind. Jenny grabbed her by the shoulders in an instant, asking, "What? Audrey, _what _is it?"

But Audrey didn't look up. She swallowed something tough down, then shook her head slightly. "What does he want?'

The quiet question was as loud as a bullet in Jenny's head. She jumped away from Audrey as if she burned her, and that's what caused Audrey to look up. "What does he want?" she asked again firmer. When her friends were silent, clearly caught off guard, her attitude came right back. "If he's a Shadow Man then he _wants_ something. My father told me about it-They're cruel, like the Boogeyman. I-I never thought they were real, but…Are you sure, Jenny?""

Summer was hugging herself, cowering against the wall with her eyes closed, trying not to listen. Michael was beside her, gaze set firmly on Audrey. Dee looked to Jenny, who honest to God couldn't form words, so she just nodded.

A bit of clarity seemed to come to Audrey then because she took a firm step forward, snapping, "Guys! We almost died because he _wants _something from us. He'll kill us all if he doesn't get it."

"H-How are we supposed to know what he wants?" Summer asked quietly. "If-If he's the same guy, I mean, he said…we're playing a game."

"That's what he does," Jenny heard herself say. It came out numb, weak. "He plays games to get what he wants."

"Exactly," Audrey snapped. "That's how we can get out of here. Just give him whatever he wants and we can go home!"

"Audrey-"

"No, I'm not dying because of some _stupid_ demon. What the hell does he want?"

That question made Jenny's throat run dry. She looked to Dee and Michael, who didn't seem to have the strength to say it either. Audrey looked back and forth between them, her impatience growing. "Well? What is it? What's so important that he has to try and kill-"

"Me."

Summer gasped, and covered her mouth. Audrey's jaw snapped shut. Jenny felt her cheeks flush, and she desperately wanted them to keep walking, but then there was the reminder of the traps they had set off before and she couldn't bring herself to move.

Jenny finally spoke just to erase the silence. "I've known him since I was kid-I forgot about him, but he wants to keep me. So if we lose this game, I stay with him. Forever."

At first Audrey could only shake her head. "_What_?"

"But that's mean!" Summer cried.

Jenny finally turned to start walking, her arm aching in a terribly odd sense. Her friends followed without question. "He doesn't care about that, Summer. Look, the good thing is that everyone's okay. We just have to find Zach and Tom, face their nightmares, and we'll all be able to go home."

"Hold on!" Audrey was snapping. "What do you mean you _know_ him?"

"My grandfather did something, I don't know. Something went wrong, and I heard Julian. We talked-"

"But that doesn't make sense!" Michael tried to calm her, but she finally pulled away, fixing her tangled hair with a frustrated huff. She started to argue, to complain, until Dee landed a firm hand on her shoulder. At first Audrey was offended, smacking the warrior's hand off, until she saw the look in her eyes. Odd seeing it from Dee, the strongest from them all, but she recognized it all the same. Dee exchanged a glance from her, to Jenny, pursuing Audrey to do the same. When she finally realized what was going on, that womanly instinct that there was more than what was being said, her face fell completely.

"Oh, Jenny."

Jenny immediately cringed and turned away. Remembering the mystical sense from Julian's touch now came like a stab to the gut. "L-Let's just keep going-"

But Audrey was there, pulling her back, meeting her eyes directly. "Are you serious? You guys have, like, a thing?"

"It's not a thing," Jenny denied immediately. "There's nothing. We were just…like, friends. I-I don't know-It's complicated."

"So he kidnapped all of us…to use as collateral against you?" When Jenny nodded, Audrey snapped, "He almost killed us!"

Jenny had started to explain that he was a man of cruelty, but then Jenny was reminded of the fact that Audrey and Summer were only alive because of her. Because of the _deal_.

Jenny shut her mouth. There was no right way she could explain that to them.

Then Audrey had her shoulder again, turning Jenny back to her. "All right-Be straight with me. Do you, like…._like_ him?"

"No-No, it's-I-I don't know. I don't _remember_."

"Well, I mean, I know I'm not one to preach commitment, but…what about Tom?"

"I _love_ him," Jenny argued. "I do, but…I don't remember. I met Julian when I was a kid, but I don't remember the rest. I _love_ Tom. I just don't remember….who I was with first."

There was a moment of silence where even Michael let out a wince at the situation. Audrey could only heave a sigh. "Oh _mon ami_. That's one complicated love triangle."

Once Audrey said it, Jenny felt it. Like her whole world was being flipped upside down-No, like it was being cracked in half and she was stuck in the center, one foot on each side and if she didn't jump she was going to fall down the middle and never stop.

"We don't have _time_ for this," Jenny finally stressed. "Julian said we have a time limit. We have to keep going."

She didn't wait. She took the torch from Dee and started walking. She stopped, however, when Summer grabbed her arm. "Wait!"

"Summer, just-"

"You were bleeding…" The small blonde was looking at her forearm, where the cut had been.

"Wait, what?"

"Jenny saved me," Summer explained before Jenny could stop her. "They were wrapping me up and Jenny came for me. One of them cut her-" Then those sky blue eyes snapped up to Jenny, wide with confusion. "What did you do?"

Jenny's gut sunk immediately as her mind went into a straight panic at what Summer saw-what she was referring to. That was until Summer clarified, "To that man. You pushed him-I-I don't understand."

Dee had just begun to console the young girl when they turned, and water splashed under their feet. Immediately everyone looked down at the thin layer of water that covered the stone floor. Summer gasped as it hit her bare feet, "It's so cold."

"Oh, God," Michael added in an exhausted gasp. "Not another trap."

"_Trap_?"

"All right everyone calm down. Look, its coming from down the hall. And it's not rising or anything. We're **fine**."

But something dropped in Jenny's gut, something anxious and _terrible_ as she suddenly remembered her dream-about the pool, the bloody water, and _Tom_.

She took off running so fast the torches couldn't come on fast enough. She couldn't remember where the torch she had went-she probably dropped it. Now she was running blind, she could very well run straight into a wall, but she knew she wouldn't. Someone called for her, and a piece of Jenny's mind told her that she just left her friends behind, after just risking everything to save them. But the fear was greater. She kept running until the torches finally caught up, opening up to yet another room. Jenny immediately noticed the difference by how the water now ankle-deep, running down the hallway she just came from. When the entire room was lit, Jenny realized it wasn't a room at all. In front of her, just across the room, was a wall of water. It rose completely to the ceiling, like the largest piece in an aquarium. Only Jenny didn't see any glass. No, the water moved and flowed in mid-air like the glass had been removed, but the water was still somehow being held in place. It instantly cast her in a bright blue shadow as she stopped in front of it. Her eyes scanned the water desperately, praying she wrong, hoping she was just panicking for no reason. But the water was milky, swirling a dark blue with shadows, unable to make out anything-until she saw an outline in the distance.

The splashing of footsteps approached her quickly, her friends-good-but Jenny couldn't look away from the water. She was straining her eyes to see the object in the distance-the figure-the body.

Then, just like a bobbing buoy, he came into view, just beyond the water's invisible barrier, with brown hair and baggy blue swim shorts. Jenny screamed immediately.

Dee had to hold her back from running right into the water, shouting at her that they didn't know what would happen if she tried to go in there. But Jenny continue to fight, shouting, "Tom! _Tom! Oh God-_Open your eyes! **Please**!"

It wasn't until Michael also grabbed her, slowly but surely calming her.

"Look for something!" Dee snapped.

But the room was empty. Tom was drowning in a massive pool of water and there was _nothing_ they could do.

Jenny felt herself panicking inside even though she had stopped flailing. Her mind was racing-Heart speeding up with every beat-Oh God she might actually pass out again.

"No," she said aloud, surprising herself. "No, he can't be dead. There-There has to be a way to save him-What's his fear? What-What do we do?"

She finally broke free of Michael's grip and approached the water carefully, water sloshing around her ankles. She was afraid to actually touch the water wall, but Tom's limp floating body was more frightening, how docile his face was, as if sleeping, the water tussling his hair around so gracefully.

Oh, Tom, she thought helplessly. I'm sorry. I'm _so _sorry.

When the silence filled the room, she looked back to her friends in astonishment. They were all frozen in place, staring with wide concerned eyes. Her panic peeked. "He's gonna _die_!"

"Oh, he's very much alive."

His voice actually shocked her, as if an electric current surged through the water, racing through her skin almost painfully. Jenny spun to where her friends were already looking, off to the side of the water wall. Julian stepped from the shadows in the corner, cloaking himself in the same blue hue, only on him it made him look so majestic. Vibrant blue streaks coursed through his hair from it, and half of his face was covered in shadows, much like a mask. He was dressed differently, in a white tunic that exposed his sleek collarbone and sharp hipbones. His pants were black but flowing, odd but somehow fitting for the man of shadows. Around his neck was some kind of golden collar, twinkling orange against the blue lights from the water. He looked dazzling and powerful, but the instant Jenny saw him, her fear disappeared. Just like with Summer, she wasn't afraid anymore. She was pissed.

"Unfortunately," Julian added.

"Get him out of there," she snapped. "Right now."

"Sorry, Jenny. That would be telling."

She stomped in his direction, snapping, "If you hurt him, Julian, I swear to _God_, I'll-"

"Oh, _you _won't be doing anything."

Jenny stopped, the water sloshing like ice at her calves. She couldn't feel her toes anymore, she had hardly noticed. At first she was confused, until Julian stepped to the side, and revealed a door.

Jenny's heart sank immediately. "No."

"Time to go, love."

"No, you-!" Jenny felt it, her panic replacing the anger in a heartbeat.

"What are you talking about?" Audrey snapped from behind, but Jenny didn't catch it. She was so focused on Julian, so torn from the realization.

"You…_jerk_," she got out.

"Remember, you offered it, Jenny."

Jenny wanted to be angry-She _was_. Because the next level was Tom-Tom's strange fear with the water, and Jenny couldn't be in it. She couldn't help to save her boyfriend because this was the round she swore to Julian. He was going to whisk her away and leave her friends to save him.

It was the way he smiled at her, rendering Jenny completely helpless, that she could only close her eyes as her friends panicked behind her.

"Wait, what?"

"Go where?"

"She's not going anywhere with _you_."

Julian didn't bother to answer them. His gaze sat on Jenny firmly, knowing how fast she was coming undone. Jenny couldn't do it-She couldn't explain. Especially not after what they had just been talking about. They'd think she was-But she wasn't-

"Jenny," Dee's solid voice came from behind her. "What's going on?"

Jenny couldn't turn around, no matter how badly she wanted to. Julian had her pinned where she was, stuck in place under his gaze alone. "I-" Her voice already broke, causing her to clear it quickly. "I have to go with him."

Silence.

"I made a deal with him. I can't be in this round-"

"_What_?"

"Screw that!" It was Dee who shouted it, stomping over quickly, making Jenny whirl around. The warrior was shouting something, aimed at the Shadow Man, but Jenny jumped between. She couldn't let them fight. She knew who'd win.

"I traded it for Summer and Audrey," she explained quickly. "We were losing the round. I couldn't lose you guys."

It took a minute, but she saw the effect; the change in all their eyes. Summer was covering her face. Audrey looked like she had just been punched in the chest. "Jenny…"

"You aren't supposed to sacrifice yourself for us. Not…Not to that _pig_."

Jenny didn't bother to look for Julian's reaction. She felt his smirk, his smugness. "I'm not. I'm going to be fine. I can't be here so…" Jenny spared Tom's floating body a glance. "I need you guys to save Tom for me. Ok?"

"But you're-"

"I can handle him." And once Jenny said it, she felt it. Stronger, bolder. She finally looked back to the Shadow Man, who's heavy lashes had dropped, gazing at her with a huge amount of admiration from the shadows. "Believe me, I'll be fine. The faster you save Tom, the faster I'll be back and we'll finish this game. Ok?"

It must've been her tone, desperate but strong, that brought the realization to them one by one. Dee saw it first, straightening her back. Audrey accepted it next, but clearly wasn't happy. Michael just looked to the ground. Summer looked like she was about to cry.

Dee took a deep breath and nodded. "Don't worry, Sunshine. We'll get him back just fine while you distract Creepo over there." She passed her glare over Jenny's shoulder where the Shadow Man's smile didn't falter at all.

Jenny looked to the rest of her friends who weren't happy, but yielding anyway. The silence was filled with the lapping of the water, reminding Jenny of the little time they had left. She started to back up, which was difficult in the water.

"Be careful," she said to them.

Dee had to put her hands on Summer's shoulders, stilling the blond from running after her. "You, too."

Jenny nodded a bit weakly, then with the same strength she used to face Julian while she was bleeding out, she met the smirking Shadow Man with her chin held high. She walked toward him quickly, to get the moment over with, but Julian was drinking her in with his gaze, taking his time. He offered his hand before he even opened the door, making a shiver pass over Jenny's spine, knowing her friends were watching her. She took it anyway, dully, without any remorse. She tried to be pliant, to go against his damn game, but he had already won.

Too slowly, Julian silently opened the door. That was when Jenny took one last look over her shoulder, to her lifeless boyfriend in the water-Only he wasn't limp anymore. His body was stiff as he paddled his arms to float-

-And he was staring right at Jenny.

Jenny didn't get the chance to gasp because then Julian's hand was on her back, guiding her through the threshold too fast to react. She heard the gurgling of water, muffling Tom's scream, before the door closed behind her.

Jenny immediately went into a panic, but she didn't get the chance to freak out. This new room was bright-No, it wasn't a room at all. It was a whole different _world_.

Golden sandy hills stretched far beyond the eye could see, with the sun beating down it made everything glow so brightly. The commotion hit her so hard-The lights, the sounds-that her mind didn't know how to handle it all at once. To make matters worse, Julian hooked his arm with hers-the same arm he had healed-and walked her right into the depths of it all.

There were buildings made of clay so tall that they cast shadows over almost everything. Beautifully crafted buildings with arches and windows and pillars of all sorts, all stretching together in one long row after row. Between them were market stands of all sorts, cloths, jars, jewels, food-The succulent smell of spiced meat, and the vibrant colors of such beautiful fabrics made Jenny think, just for a moment, that she could be dreaming. But she wasn't-She knew-Because this, this light-headed mystical feeling she received from every step, was something she was used to-something from long ago that still rested in blood, making her curious and a bit giddy.

The people were interesting as well; dressed in a variety of cloths and styles. Most of the men wore white cloths around their waists, serving as a long skirt, with their chests bare. Others had green or black chest plates attached to their cloths. They all wore different sizes and styles of gold necklaces that Jenny only assumed decided their ranks. The women had various different outfits, some in dresses, some half naked, some with their hair up, some with their hair down. They were all very silky fabrics, layered over the other, winding around their bodies, then crossing behind their backs and up over their shoulders as sleeves. They reminded Jenny of cocoons, hiding such beauty underneath the milky white material. They passed an awning where three women were up on a stage-like craft-Entertainers, she knew immediately. Their outfits of glorious beads and coins and flowing fabrics were enchanting, mesmerizing even to her at the way they moved their hips.

It was hot and dusty and the sand tickled Jenny's wet bare feet, sticking to her skin instantly like it would at the beach. It was there, compared to the magnificent, eccentric styles of the people around her, that Jenny felt completely undermined. Her cotton skirt was wrinkled and average, her tank top was a sweaty mess, even her hair was a tangled, greasy mess against her back Hell, she even lost her shoes at some point during the game.

Yet, the second Julian had her in the thrush of the walkway, surrounded by at least a hundred different people and things, everyone finally took notice of them.

And every single person looked at Jenny, then got on their knees and bowed.

A very ancient bow too, with their foreheads on the ground, arms extended above their heads in total submission. It was almost mechanical, how every single one of them turned, then backed up to clear the walkway and bowed. All commotion stopped, except for the exotic beat of drums somewhere in the distance. Jenny almost tripped over herself because of it, but Julian had her, supported her easily.

They were bowing…to _her_? No-No way. But they were-No they were bowing to Julian. He looked the part. He controlled everything. But they were looking at **her**-

The odd clanking of metal made Jenny glance behind them where she found four Egyptian guards walking two by two after them. They were dressed in all black with golden belts and cuffs. And just like earlier, they had the body of a man, but wore the head of an animal-Like a metal mask, they all had golden eagle heads, with rubies for eyes, and they carried spears in their hands. They marched in completely unison, clanking the golden plates of armor on their chests. They were tall, too, just like the guard that had cut open her arm-

The thought of Summer finally gave Jenny enough strength to look at the Shadow Man beside her. Still holding her arm, Julian was already looking at her through the corner of his vision. When she glared at him, he only smiled.

Then they turned the corner and Jenny's gaze was torn away by the building before them. She almost didn't believe it-But hell after everything she's been through the passed few hours, it was hard not to believe that she was staring up at a Palace made of gold.

It was _huge_, with two massive statues of Egyptian guards with dog heads holding spears between their feet standing on both sides of the front door. A very wide, very polished golden stairway led up to three levels before came the long stretch of platform. The doors were almost as large as the statues, in two outlined arcs with huge metal rings as the handles. It was glorious; it glistened brighter than anything Jenny ever seen. Her gut fluttered when she realized Julian was taking her there.

She almost wanted to stop him. If he was proposing himself as the King, or well the Pharaoh, of whatever ancient world this was, then bringing her up into the Palace was like his special gust of honor-

-or his prisoner. He did say he wanted to keep her forever.

And yet, once again everyone was on their hands and knees, bowing as they passed by. Right before the stairs were four rows of guards, at least a dozen in each row, all carrying tall sharp spears. When Julian and Jenny approached them, they all marched and pivoted out of the way, and tilted their spears up, over their heads, creating a special tunnel that led to the stairs. Walking under them, seeing their bronze skin and fascinating jeweled collars up close, made Jenny feel dizzy. Or maybe that was the heat.

Julian finally released her arm at the end of the stairs, making Jenny pull to a stop. He climbed the first steps by himself, then turned back and offered his hand with a slight bow. His snow white hair shone a bleached blonde against the golden glow of the Palace, and with the small gleam of sweat on those exposed muscles, he really did look like some other-worldly God-Who was inviting her into his Palace, personally.

Jenny couldn't have refused his hand even if she wanted to.

Feeling the cold touch of the stairs under her feet immediately stole her breath. This whole place-everything made her mind stutter to a glorious pause. It was exactly like the beginning of this game, when she first saw Julian again, how breathless she had become at finding out he was real again-Right, she had…_missed_ him. She had forgotten him-How could she have forgotten _this_?

There was a loud _thunk _somewhere_, _then the doors opened on their own, swinging open slowly right as they approached it. It surprised Jenny enough to let out a small gasp, but Julian didn't stop walking. He led her right through them and right into the center of the new room.

The place was huge, all right. The walls almost looked like they never ended, covered in numerous paintings and symbols all the way up to the ceiling-The _ceiling_. It was gorgeous, curving above them like a dome. It was made of some kind of green stone, perhaps jade, outlined in gold. The whole thing glistened, like a stunning starry night sky, making Jenny's eyes dart all over the place to see the whole thing. She walked like that, her head tilted straight up as they walked, until Julian, surprisingly released her again.

Jenny stopped walking then, and watched as Julian approached one of the four impossibly tall guards that stood parallel to them. These ones were covered in black from head to toe with cat-like metal masks on their heads. The one he approached said nothing, but it did straighten its back and crossed its spear across its chest, like a salute of some sort. Then he handed Julian some kind of stone slab.

Oh, wow. He really did look like some kind of God. For a minute Jenny actually believed he was some ruler of Egypt, bringing her to his Palace, and now talking to his subjects as if to check in on how his kingdom was doing. It was too much for Jenny to accept, so she turned her attention elsewhere. If this supposed to be her own game of some sort, then she needed to start paying better attention to what was around her.

But there wasn't any immediate threat. She saw multiple doors standing behind Julian and his guards, all the same, resting against the far back wall. The whole right side of the room sat piles of gold; Gold coins, cups, crowns, and every jewel imagined, beautiful scrolls and fabrics and stones-all organized in messy piles as if to show off. Against the parallel wall was some kind of thin table, with something like a chessboard top, and small circular pieces on top. Then there were poles with hooks at the ends and a metal ring beside. There were sand bags, bows and arrows, clubs of all sorts. It took jenny a minute to realize they were games; ancient Egyptian toys all lined up against the wall, waiting for someone to pick them up and start playing. Jenny had to admit that they peeked her curiosity, wondering what each artifact was, how they were played-

No, stop it, she told herself. It was all very interesting, yes, but she couldn't just walk over and start playing with things. She needed to **focus**. But then she heard something behind her, a soft noise, like a puff of air escaping.

Jenny turned at the odd noise, and a surprised shout was choked in her throat. Right there, at her heels, was a tiger. It was as tall as her waist, and powerful with such thick muscles under that glorious white coat. It was beautiful, with eyes as green as the Nile, shimmering up at her with a wild instinct rarely seen. It wore a collar of jade, hung loosely around its neck, that glistened against the golden glow of the Palace. Jenny froze in her half turn, only her upper body twisted to gaze back at the creature. Her stomach dropped immediately, ten times worse than it ever had on the tallest roller coaster, because her heart sank with it in a very ancient fear-one of a prey right before its predator attacks-that she could be mauled in the next second-

But the tiger was still. It was standing gracefully, not hunched low about to pounce. It wasn't even growling. Instead of attacking her, it merely took two steps forward and rubbed its face against her legs. Her knees buckled immediately, half-expecting sharp teeth to come piercing through her skin, but all she felt was the smooth touch of fur. The tiger nuzzled her waist much like a kitten would for affection, ruffling her skirt. It then circled her, gliding its body against her legs, letting out a low, docile purr.

Jenny had to remind herself to breathe. First Egypt, then being bowed to by a whole village of people, this Palace, and now a white tiger? If Jenny hadn't known any better, she would assume she had fallen and hit her head. Or Maybe she really had died from the wound on her arm-And this was merely a dream.

But this was far from a nightmare.

Either way, Jenny couldn't help herself. She hesitated as the tiger stopped with its long, graceful body curled up against the back of her legs, head resting at her hip, green eyes tilted up to meet hers. Jenny had brought her hands up to her chest in the beginning, but now, slowly, she let one hand drop and come to a gentle rest on its head. The tiger didn't even snarl. Instead, it pushed its face into her touch, allowing her to stroke it.

A shiver of glee passed through Jenny, making her skin tingle in such a familiar way. She was so entranced by the beast under her hand, feeling its coarse fur run between her fingers, that she didn't see Julian before her until his hand came on top of hers. She flinched, but his touch was cool and soft, running her hand down the tiger's neck in one slow, smooth motion. Jenny looked at him, how he stood so professional with his other hand behind his back, only bent slightly to stroke the tiger, all with that mystical gaze set on her.

"Why did you bring me here?" It came out quiet, almost like a whisper, but lined with a gentle curiosity Jenny didn't know she had.

"You told me to convince you." Julian answered as he released her hand. He gave his wrist a flick afterwards, where the tiger silently turned and walked away. The imitation of a Pharaoh before her then offered the same hand, bowing exactly as he had done on the stairs. "I intend to do just that."

Jenny didn't take it. She was _afraid_ to. There were so many doors behind him. If he could create a world as beautiful and fascinating as this, she didn't want to see what was behind the rest of them. "A-And what about my friends?"

"That would be telling."

Jenny pouted where he smirked. It was her spark of annoyance, and the look of raw pleasure that rose in those impossible blue because of it, that made Jenny remember their friendship-If she could even call it that. Where he was playful and arrogant, Jenny was defiant and spiteful. It instantly put a delightful sense in the atmosphere, a feeling they shared and thrived in mutually. He took her hand, and led her to one of the doors on the right.

Jenny didn't know what to expect after everything thus far; an extravagant part of the Palace, some kind of foreign feast-Hell, earlier he had mentioned dinosaurs. And yet, he opened the door to an endless hall of clothes.

So much more than what Jenny had already seen. There were exquisite fabrics, beautiful skirts and tunics, dresses Jenny never imagined. Most of them lined the walls, hung by a clear string that displayed them separately, and others were strung from the ceiling, draped down in layers all over the room. Julian winded her through them like a maze, pointing out the different fabrics and purposes for each outfit. Light was coming in through two long skylights from above, providing a golden sheen across everything.

Too soon, Jenny had to pull away, and Julian allowed her to, leaving her stuck in a circle of stunning dresses. She was awestruck. Is this what millionaires had in their closets? No, not like this. These clothes were unique, hand-crafted from the hands of Egypt themselves. Audrey would be so jealous-

"The first time I had you to myself," Julian's voice drifted from outfit to outfit, like a mystical echo, making Jenny realized he had moved somewhere in the closet without her, out of her sight. "I did just this. You should've seen the way your eyes shined-Like freshly polished emeralds."

Jenny felt light-headed. She reached out a numb hand and ran her fingers down one of the dresses. It felt surreal. "How old was I?"

"Six."

Jenny whipped her head around, finding him just on the other side of this closet, next to the row of clothes that hung on the right. Her confusion was obvious because he smiled-not too haughty, but not too polite either. "We shared so much more time than in your room, Jenny."

Surprisingly, Julian turned away from her after that, roaming his sapphire eyes across a couple clothes as he moved around the hallway leisurely. "You never did like it when I gave you things. You always complained about 'special treatment'… But you never refused."

Jenny couldn't tear her gaze away from him, watching him saunter pass dress after dress, mesmerized like a child. "But…."

Julian looked to her again, and plucked a dress from the line without even looking at it. He approached her then, coming inside her tiny circle, saying, "You don't remember. I always came when you called for me, Jenny. No matter where you were, or how old you were. I did anything you asked of me." Before Jenny realized what he was doing, he had one of her hands in his, lifted up to his face, where he kissed the back of her fingers in a touch like a butterfly's wing, all while holding her stunned gaze. His voice, like static, filled Jenny's mind in a charming haze. "I was the shadows at your will."

Her heart actually throbbed; she felt the flutter in her chest, making her lose her breath for just a second. The room felt ten degrees hotter, and yet a cold chill ran down her spine from that look-that _look_. Why did he have to look at her like that? Like she was everything anyone could ever want in the world **and more**. She was-She was just…_Jenny_. She wasn't anything special. She wasn't supposed to be looked at like that. And yet, here she was, in a room with fascinating clothes for her to choose from, in the presence of a demon who was constantly trying to swoon her with gifts and far off places and everything else the world had to offer. She couldn't take it. That bittersweet twinge in her chest, right between her lungs-She couldn't take it.

She didn't quite have her breath back when she asked, "And now?"

Julian almost seemed surprised by this because he lowered her hand, but didn't let go, running his thumb across her knuckles. "Now I want to be your King. Your anything. I can give you so much more than this, Jenny. I always did. You just have to let me. Again."

It was overwhelming-that bittersweet feeling. It was rising into her head, constricting her reasoning-her defenses.

Then it hit her.

"Why did you stop?"

That's when Julian's face changed. A tough look overcame his soft features, almost into a glare, and he released her hand. "Unfortunately, I can't tell you. You have to remember on your own-That's the rule. And trust me, Jenny. I wish I could break that one."

That feeling in Jenny's chest only constricted tighter at that. Julian hung the dress in his hand on the nearest line in their circle of dresses, layering it over top of the other. "I recommend this one, love. You're going to wish you have it on for what comes next."

Jenny had to clear her throat, nevertheless her head. "A-And…what exactly comes next?"

Julian didn't answer her. Instead he just gave her that smile-the kind only the Devil could wear. Then he turned without a single word and walked right out the door at the end of the hall. Jenny could only stare after him for a minute, then looked to the dress he had chosen for her. It was gorgeous, Jenny had to admit; Made of a shimmering dark green fabric that shone a mix of gold in the light. It was strapless, and the material wrapped around the torso, creating beautiful ripples before it dropped off in a glorious sweep to the side. Under it was a pair of sandals she hadn't noticed before; a nice bronze color with straps that laced up the ankles, and a piece of jade in the center that matched perfectly with the dress.

Staring at it all made her cheeks flush with heat. He really _was_ spoiling her. She wasn't used to it. How was she supposed to just throw all this on like some Egyptian Princess while her friends were God-knows where fighting to save her boyfriend?

What if she didn't play along? What if she just sat in here, as she was, and refused his gifts, refused to go along with his charade? Jenny was actually considering it a possibility until she remembered the fact that this was the deal she made. If she didn't go along, Tom's round could be forfeited. He could die, as well as Summer and Audrey, all because she didn't put on a dress. God, that made her head spin. She couldn't risk that. And it wasn't like…the dress was horrific or anything. He wasn't even being anything less of a gentlemen….

So Jenny put it on. She kept her skirt on since it didn't interfere with the hem of the dress, but she did have to remove her shirt. She was thankful for the bathing suit underneath; it made changing in this other-worldly place a bit less revealing in a way. She put the sandals on as well, feeling graceful as she did the straps around her ankles. The bronze color matched her skin well and the relief on her feet-it felt so good not to be barefoot anymore.

Once Jenny finished she realized everything fit perfectly. The top of the dress hung snug around her chest, and the tightness of the torso fit snug up until her hips where it curved off just right. It was surprisingly comfortable, even the sandals. And she looked _good_ in it. The dark green shimmer made her hair stand out while her eyes contrasted an even lighter green, like jades-

Jenny choked back a gasp. She was falling into this way too easily. She needed to calm down. She did this to save her friends. But how was she supposed to be prepared for this? Didn't matter. She just needed to last until her friends figured out the riddle. The last rounds hadn't lasted long. It would be any minute now. Hey, maybe if she kept Julian distracted enough, he wouldn't be able to focus on Tom's fear, maybe make it easier for her friends to win. That's how it worked right? The Shadow Man couldn't be two places at once. At least… Not that Jenny remembered he could.

So she braced herself, took a deep breath, straightened her back, and opened the door.

The size and the exquisiteness of the room didn't shock Jenny this time, since everything else had been completely out of her imagination. This room was large, with a wide blank stone floor and four gold pillars in each corner. On each wall was a different sculpture painted beautifully just like old Egyptian designs. There was a bird on one, spreading its wings high over a sunset; a beetle above something like water on another; an eye on the other; finally the image of the Pharaoh sat on the back wall. He was painted in gold, unlike the black paint for the others, resting on top of a set of stairs from the colored stones in the wall.

Metal plates were hung from the ceiling, holding bowls of bright orange flames, giving the room a very subtle, comfortable glow-an equal balance between shadows and light. There were a couple dozen people, all on the floor, all hand in hand. They were dressed very similar. The men had black pants, and golden plates that covered their chests. All the women in black short tops, exposing their bellies under a gold trim lining, and long white skirts. The way they all had their hair up or braided so neatly, not to mention the jewelry they all wore, made Jenny immediately run her fingers through her hair, coaxing it all to the side in an attempt at looking like she hadn't almost died twice in the passed few hours. They had all been moving when Jenny stepped in, in perfect circles, all in unison, and yet they all came to a gentle stop. All of them, every pair, bowed their heads in her direction, then moved off to the side. One by one they all parted, and revealed him.

Julian stood in the very center of the room, standing politely with his hands behind his back. His outfit was different. His white tunic was replaced with a golden one that was split right up the middle exposing such pale, strong muscles of his abdomen. His arms were only covered by two gold bands on his biceps, looking fit to snap off if he moved too rashly. Black fabric covered down to his shins, almost like a skirt, with a long golden plate hanging from the belt, looking like the gold from his top went running down to his pants. He was wearing some black sandals, and a black headband with a golden snake coiled at the front, ready to strike. He looked marvelous, surrounded in a glow of firelight with shadows eating at him from every corner. It was strangely mysterious, and even a bit salacious.

The way he looked at her, with everyone purposely clearing the floor for her, and the way she was dressed, gave Jenny just enough confidence to act like she knew what she was doing. She kept her gaze with the Shadow Man as she walked forward, taking full determined strides into this glorious, beautiful room. She felt the wisps of the shadows dancing across her, and she kicked the bottom of her dress with every step. With the way it hugged her, it mimicked a devilish sway of her hips as she walked, making her feel better than she should've. Julian watched her the whole time, unmoving, not even blinking. He drank her whole presence in the closer she got, those blue eyes glistening a dark indigo in the firelight.

Jenny stopped in front of him with anxiety pooling in her gut, unsure of what to do when he was leading everything here, even time. It was when she stopped walking that she realized everyone had positioned themselves against the wall, leaving her and Julian alone on the floor.

Before Jenny could say something, Julian bowed his head, just slightly leaning forward to acknowledge her, in an appropriate and polite bow. Jenny was curtseying before she even realized it, an action her body was familiar with. Julian straightened with a new smile, then he was taking her hand in his and he stepped into her space.

"Absolutely stunning," he murmured to her, his voice hushed but entirely exalted.

Jenny didn't get the chance to respond because then his other hand was on her hip. When she realized what he was doing, she tried to pull away, panicking. "Oh wait-wait. I-I don't know how to dance."

"Yes, you do." He pulled her back in, placing her other hand on his shoulder. Oh, they were so close, Jenny was forced to take him, to feel his presence just brushing her skin, his power under her fingers. He was just the right height, where Jenny had to tilt her head up just enough to meet those eyes that dominated her every thought with a single blink. "_Remember_ me, Jenny."

He took a step back, encouraging Jenny to follow him with his grip on her hip. Jenny immediately looked to her feet, trying to catch up when he took a step forward, leading her into a step back. Her mind felt like it was stuffed with cotton-She couldn't think straight. They were dancing. He gave her a dress, isolated them in this beautiful room, Tom was drowning and here they were _dancing_-

Jenny was tripping over the panic in her head, but she wasn't doing too bad. She never liked formal dances. Her knees always bowed on her, making her stumble or look clumsy. The only kind of dancing she liked was the goofy moves she would do with the girls when they were alone. She didn't want to step on anyone's toes, and she really didn't want to fall.

They started slow, simple steps back and forth, then Julian led her into switching feet. Jenny was focusing so hard, trying to see the pattern he was laying out for her so she could try and catch on, that she didn't notice they had completely switched directions until they were in the middle of it. Instead of a plain back and forth motion, they now had a slow rotation going. It was smooth, now that Jenny realized it. Then Julian switched hands with her, and they repeated the motion in the other direction. They did this once more, the same speed, same motion, and when it came time for them to switch hands again, Jenny was ready.

It wasn't until Julian switched the danced entirely, suddenly stopping and crossed one foot in front of the other like some professional tango dancer, that Jenny noticed it. She allowed him to turn her out, where her own feet crossed, then she was back in, immediately going back into the beginning patterns of the dance. They did it again, a bit faster, then the other way, and switched hands once more. Julian was leading everything-he was the Shadow Man after all-but Jenny was following almost _too_ well. Had they…done this before?

No, not like this, Jenny remembered. She was still staring at their feet, making sure she moved just in time with the Shadow Man, that she didn't step on his toes, when the memory flashed at her. She was in some kind of woods, with tall dark trunks with branches that twisted impossibly around each other like corkscrews. The leaves-as yellow as the sun- had been constantly falling down upon them, cloaking everything in a similar golden glow. She was only six years old, in a frilly white dress, where as Julian had the appearance of a mere teenager. He was dancing with her there, but it was very informal. It was silly and playful, swinging her around and around, hooking arms and kicking their feet as they spun around in circles. It had been fun, Jenny remembered.

But there was another time. Later, when she was older. The details didn't come to Jenny as much. Only that Julian had called for her-Had she been sleeping? Was it in her dreams? But he had taught her to dance like this; this specific dance, so unique. He had said it was as unpredictable as all the magic in the world; constantly changing and spinning you around the worlds until you were dizzy and high, and yet you always ended up back at the start. Just like now, he was turning her in and out again, switching feet and hands once more to start again.

A single finger came up under her chin, in a touch as cool as marble, gently tilting her head back up to him. Jenny met those amazing azure eyes, that honestly pleased smile, and it was impossible not to smile back. In the next second Julian spun her fast and Jenny was prepared because she remembered-All the times they had done this dance together, at different places, different ages, always the same. He pulled her back in and Jenny was the one to initiate the switch. Julian turned with her, following fluidly as the dance unfolded.

Jenny finally noticed the music, the long draw of a violin chorused by the soft pats of a drum, somewhere in the distance. But the more they danced, the more she remembered, and the louder the song got, the more it filled Jenny entirely. Soon they were moving incredibly fast, without missing a beat. There were turns and spins, sways and twists, even small jumps. Jenny remembered it all, how dizzy it always made her. Especially when Julian suddenly scooped her up by the hips for a single twirl in the air, before dropping her right back into the pattern. They even completely separated, touching only by their hands held flat against the others by their shoulders. They twirled around each other, walking slow in perfect unison, gazes unbreakable, like some ancient cultural ceremony. It was enlightening. Jenny was laughing.

At one point, Julian turned her out, but Jenny didn't spin back in. No, at this part she moved his arm over her head, staying in place, until he came up behind her. His body pressed to hers, one arm around her waist, and the other holding one of her hands out to the side, and they continued the dance as such. Jenny remembered this, but she didn't recall it being so _intimate._ The way his body swayed against hers from behind, the succulent feel of his muscles secured around her waist, even how his face was nestled right beside hers-looking, but not looking; lips teasing the back of her ear in a ticklish gesture. It was _marvelous_.

Then he flipped her around, but the dance was different. The space was gone between them, their bodies pressed tight to one another. A pair of their hands reunited like before, but Julian's hand had moved to the back of her shoulders while Jenny's had moved to the back of his neck. They were still moving together effortlessly. His head was even tilted down toward her, their foreheads almost touching. Jenny couldn't break from his gaze; she hadn't this entire time. She was staring into those sapphire eyes, how light they seemed. And his smile-It was the most sincere Jenny had ever seen it; Delighted, fully enjoying himself, just like all those years ago. Staring into them, _through_ them, Jenny had to confess that she was enjoying herself as well.

He dipped her back, now holding her by both hands on her back, and spun her so fast that she gave a surprised gasp. With her head dipped back, the world whipped by her so quickly that she just couldn't help but feel it. Seeing the people against the walls, how they had bowed to her, how gorgeous she looked dancing with Julian-how everyone watched-how special she felt. She felt on top of the world. No, on top of _all _the worlds.

Julian brought her back up so fast, causing her to land against his chest with a startled squeal, and he laughed. Oh, how Jenny had missed that laugh. She laughed right back, unable to stop.

The Shadow Man then scooped her right off her feet, an arm around her waist and back, and together they twirled. Jenny was lifted above him, holding on by his shoulders, like always. This was the end of the dance, Jenny remembered. When she was younger, she was too afraid to let go of Julian, afraid she'd fall as he whirled her around and around, but now…

Now Jenny let go, her arms stretched out to her sides and allowed her mind to spin with everything else. She relished in the dizzying sensation; how her hair thrashed around in the breeze, how Julian held her off the ground so effortlessly. She even closed her eyes for a moment, basking in the memory of being in his arms like this, being spoiled like this-to feel it all at once all over again was overwhelming. Jenny finally realized it was the same feeling she got from jumping over the gap in the trap earlier-that breathless moment in the air-

It was after a few turns like this that Julian brought her back down. But he didn't stop moving, tangling his feet with Jenny's as she came back in touch with the ground. She was spinning too fast, she didn't land it-She never did. She went tumbling backwards, where Julian was there in an instant. He caught her easily, hovering over her as she was leaning back, like he had dipped her back on purpose. Her hands had reflexively snatched his neck in an attempt at catching herself, but now she realized that he had her all along, all her weight in his grasp. She was basically still off the ground, head still in the clouds. She was still laughing.

He held her like that for just a moment longer, gazing at her with a sheen of great admiration behind those blue pools, as if immensely proud at her dancing performance in his arms. Jenny felt it, the praise, the adoration in his eyes alone, and she knew she was blushing.

Applause broke from the audience, spurring an even greater stir of excitement in Jenny's gut-God she really couldn't stop smiling. Then Julian snatched her back off her feet, right into his arms much like one would carry their bride, and began walking.

Jenny couldn't help herself, she was still so dizzy, her blood felt like it was filled with air. His expression was just so playful, throwing Jenny back into all the games they had played-How giddy they left her, just like now. She was laughing as she smacked his arms, saying, "H-Hey! Stop it-Hahaha! Julian-Seriously! Ah! Put me down. Stop-Stop it! _Julian_!"

"What's the magic word?"

"Now, ya jerk!"

Julian laughed again as he crossed some threshold, hitting Jenny with a cool burst of air. "As you wish," he said, and gently let her back down.

The world was still spinning, heart still racing, but Jenny's mind came to a halt at the sight before her.

Julian had led her out on some extravagant balcony, made of smooth old stone, wrapped in some red-tipped ivy. A table sat in the middle, big enough only for two, with a vase of silver roses in between two plates of food. The whole scene was outlined by the striking skyline behind it-a gorgeous baby blue that faded down into a stunning pink. It was beautiful-It was too much.

Jenny felt her high come crashing down. Especially when Julian was already at the table, pulling out a red cushioned, gold trimmed chair for her. She was still breathless from the dance, still felt the heat in her cheeks. She tried to calm herself, to take her time, but she still felt like she was walking on air when she approached the table.

"T-Thank you," she got out as she sat down, having to fold the dress under her in order to sit properly. Julian merely nodded to her as he pushed her into the table, then strode over and took his seat on the other side.

There was a tangy-sweet smell mixed with something spiced that made Jenny's stomach growl immediately. When was the last time she ate? Well she had snatched a banana before she ran out the door this morning, fearing she'd miss the bus for Summer's birthday-

Summer. Her friends-Oh Tom. What they were going through….

Jenny kept her hands in her lap, unable to look up at the Shadow Man across the small table. "I-I don't like this."

"Liar." A few of those snow white bangs fell over the snake headband of his as he tilted his head slightly to the side.

"No, I don't," Jenny tried to say it firmer, as if to convince _him _rather than herself. "I don't…need all of this. I don't deserve it."

"But that's the part you don't see, Jenny. You _do_." His voice, like velvet, was what drew Jenny's gaze back up. He was leaning on his elbow, looking her over so….adoringly. "You're different from the others. I want to treat you that way."

Jenny cringed at that. She thought of Tom again-How he never treated her that way. It wasn't like she wasn't happy with Tom-She loved him. He was kind and smart and funny. And although he hadn't given her the Egyptian princess royal treatment, he had treated her right. She was happy to spend time with him-To be alone with him, to hold hands, to kiss him. She meant it when she said she loved him. But he had yet to say it to her….

Jenny didn't feel so good anymore. She didn't answer the Shadow Man. Instead she silently picked up her fork and stabbed a piece of meat from her plate. There were some fresh greens and some kind of rice as well before her, but it was the individually cut chunks of meat that smelled so good. When Jenny took a bite she couldn't remember the taste, but she relished in the way the meat practically melted in her mouth. It was delicious. She prayed she hadn't made some sort of face when she saw Julian smirk from across the table.

Thankfully, he didn't call her out on it. Instead, he motioned his head for the flowers between them. "Those are made of silver, you know. Hand dug from the caves of Jotunheim."

The name instantly struck Jenny's curiosity again, distracting her from eating for a moment. That name, she knew that name….

She looked to the flowers which were thicker than any normal flower now that she looked closely. The petals were cool and metallic to the touch, and gleamed a gorgeous silver in the light. Even the stem was almost black, with very sharp thorns. They were so small, though, Jenny was looking closer at them. The flower looked so soft and yet the stem was vicious, like barbed wire-

Jenny gasped when Julian suddenly grasped her hand, preventing her from touching the thorns, making the scars on her palms ache in a tender way. She hadn't even realized she had been reaching for them. In the same instant she remembered the name-Jotunheim-because Julian had taken her there. _A castle on the side of the mountains, with glorious waterfalls and caverns that almost touched the center of the world. She was only seven years old, dressed in a frilly pink nightgown. Julian had shown her the caves, how the silver was embedded into the rocky walls. Then from it he pulled a flower, beautiful but dangerous. Jenny had touched it without warning, where she pricked her finger on one of the thorns. She had dropped to her knees, upset at the pain, and had begun to cry. But Julian was there, kneeling to her, with a finger to his lips, shushing away her fear. _

"_All choices have consequences, my Jenny," he had said._ _Then he had taken her finger and kissed the wound very softly. "It's up to you to decide which ones are good, and which ones are bad."_

_Little Jenny had pouted, sniffling as she looked at the flower on the cave floor. "That was a bad one."_

"_Not exactly." Julian took the flower carefully by right under the petals, cupping it like a fine glass of wine. "To you, the thorns are bad. But for the flower, they are mandatory. Wherever something has a weakness, it has a strength to cover it up. See? The petals here are delicate. Thus, the thorns are its protection." He offered her the flower again with that same, unyielding smile. "One person's fear can very well be someone's strength."_

Jenny blinked, staring at Julian across the table, shocked. His smile was gentle, just like in the memory, and he released her hand. Jenny almost didn't know what to say. Like she was hypnotized, she grabbed the flower, right under the petals, like Julian had shown her. The Shadow Man smiled proudly, and sat back in his seat.

"You showed me," Jenny heard herself say before she realized it. "You taught me…."

"Everything," Julian finished for her. "I showed you everything from the nine worlds, Jenny. Anything you wanted to know."

Jenny was still staring at the flower, at the shine on its metallic petals. "I wanted to know about you…."

The silence finally drew Jenny's gaze back up. Julian was studying her very carefully, sapphire eyes widened. "What do you remember?" The question was spoken lightly. It took Jenny a minute to realize there was a glimmer of anxiety in his voice.

She shook her head, setting the flower carefully back on the table. "I-I don't….I don't know. You. Your power, how you did everything."

"I already told you about that. Remember?" Then he sketched it in the air, the shape of an inverted _D_, and although the name still escaped Jenny, the power didn't.

"Runes," Jenny said quickly. "You taught me about the runes."

"Not just about, love. You used them." His smile suddenly changed, edges of his lips curling up into a dangerous smirk as he leaned closer to her across the table, separated only by the vase of flowers. "Although, I never expected you to use _that _rune again. You always hated that one most, and yet you killed that Embalmer without hesitation."

The realization made Jenny's blood ran cold-Remembering that guard about to kill Summer, how she attacked him, how he turned to ash in an instant-

Jenny covered her mouth in the next second, but Julian only laughed. "Don't be upset, Jenny. You were fighting back. Gloriously, might I add. Only next time, I'd avoid the swords."

"How?" She asked once under hands, then removed them and asked again, "How did I do that? How did I kill him?"

"With your blood," Julian answered fluidly. "The power of the runes is strong, and works very strictly within its own rules. That power is in my blood, as a Shadow Man. However, that doesn't mean it is limited to us."

Jenny understood. "Like my Grandfather. He was using your magic, wasn't he?"

"Yes, but for humans it is different. Your blood is the key to using the runes. You didn't need me to remind you of that. Just…a bit of fear."

"You've been pushing me," Jenny realized slowly, making the Shadow Man's eyelids droop perilously. "You've been throwing everything at me-To make me remember. Like the dance."

"Of course," Julian said with a nonchalant shrug.

Her mind still swimming with the realization, Jenny silently moved to take another bite. The harsh pink lines resting across her palms caught her eye. "Is that how I got these scars?" she asked without looking up. "From using the runes?"

To Jenny's surprise, there was pause in Julian's response. When she finally looked up, he was motioning for her hands-no, her plate. "I'd eat before it gets cold, love."

Jenny almost sneered. Her world felt like it was being rattled up and down like a soda can, ready to burst. "You can't tell me."

"I wouldn't even if I could. Now eat. You're too pale for my liking."

"But _you _don't eat. Not normal food."

Julian's smile was wicked at that notion, then he plucked something from under the table. "Wine?"

Jenny almost laughed when he stood with the bottle. She couldn't describe the weight in her chest-anger, confusion, content, but she was shaking her head either way. "You're unbelievable. Do you plan on getting me drunk this round?"

Julian took off the cork with a _pop_ and poured her a glass with a droll expression. "Only because I never had the chance with you as a child."

"I'm surprised you didn't even try."

"Oh, I didn't need to give you spirits to make you wild, Jenny." His teeth bared on that smile, vile enough to make Jenny shiver. "You did that all on your own."

Jenny refused to blush. She took a bite instead. "Shut up."

..-

If someone had told Jenny she would be sitting down at the top of Egypt, having a casual dinner with this demon of shadows, she would've called them crazy. If that person had also mentioned that she would be enjoying herself, she would've laughed right in their face. But that person would've been right.

Time was lost in the conversation, from Julian's snaky comments and Jenny's rebelling comebacks. They talked about a lot of things, of how Julian had taught her the runes, of the things Jenny had remembered. He told her about the worlds again, since she didn't remember, and the Prince of Darkness actually got lost in a tale of a time he had to fight off three hell-bent trolls. Jenny mentioned the silly dance in the woods where Julian actually groaned, as if ashamed of the memory. Shadow Men weren't supposed to be embarrassed, Jenny knew that, but Julian had been-He had shown her so many things-some things, she wondered, he hadn't even meant to show her.

The memory of Julian, younger, sitting on a rock somewhere had flashed by for a second. He was showing her something in the water, trying to impress her. Jenny was older, too, she knew, because she had called him out on it. Then he had been splashed, by whatever was in the water. His shocked expression, his soaked white bangs over eyes like furious blue flames, had been unbearable. Jenny couldn't hold back her laughter. She even fell off the rock she had been sitting on. Now, she was laughing at the memory, calling him out on his lack of perfection.

The food was delicious. The setting was romantic. It was all just so…perfect.

Jenny was recovering from the laugh when she found herself stuck in the Shadow Man's gaze. He wasn't laughing or talking anymore. He was merely sitting there, chin in his hands as he leaned on the table, _staring_ at her. It was that gaze again, so mystical, so taken-back, like she was a miracle on his door-step.

It made Jenny's skin tingle, and she looked nervously back to her plate. "You have a staring problem," she muttered.

"Had it for years," Julian answered without missing a beat. "Don't think it'll be going away any time soon."

Jenny couldn't deny the sweet touch that left in her, the feeling she had felt often with Julian every time he had taken her somewhere. The most important questions, how-when-why-lingered painfully in the back of Jenny's mind, but she knew she couldn't ask them. Julian said she would have to remember that on her own. God, was it infuriating not to remember a good portion of your life you didn't know you had been missing.

Jenny cast her gaze off to the side in hopes of changing the subject, when she saw it and gasped. "Oh, wow."

She got out of her seat, and approached the railing where the sun was setting off in the distance. It sat on top of the farthest hill of sand, and it was _red_. The deepest shade of red Jenny ever saw. A giant crimson circle that cast everything in a breath-taking ruby glow. The sky was swollen with the color, fading up into a gracious purple overhead. The red sand rolled on forever, all the way toward them until it was interrupted by a strip of green. The massive river was as green as jade, glistening with red-tinted shadows as it flowed gracefully across the stretch of land. The Nile, Jenny thought almost in a childish way. She never thought it would be so beautiful. All she had learned in grade school was that it was just a big basin of water, a great accomplishment for the land of Egypt. She remembered learning of Cleopatra in school, how Jenny thought the pictures of her were so beautiful, resting atop her kingdom in beautiful fabrics, with everything at her will.

Jenny _was_ Cleopatra. Right now, in this moment, she was this world's queen-Their Goddess. Julian had made her this way-Even if he had made everything from the shadows. They had bowed to her. She was wearing a dress different from the others. She had danced with him-taken out here alone. No one else.

Jenny froze there, hands on the railing, wind rustling her hair, looking down upon this land's wealth, its structure, its people, with the dark realization that she could have _anything_. If she wanted that Nile to burst and flood the whole place, all she had to do was ask. Julian always gave it to her, in a split second, with maximum quantity. Suddenly seeing it, _feeling_ it, made everything in Jenny spin much worse than they had been dancing before.

The touch didn't surprise her. She hadn't heard Julian get up from his chair, but she felt him approach her. He stood immensely close behind her, touching without touching, his head just above her shoulder, lips brushing the skin of her bare shoulder. His hands came on either side of her, resting on the railing just a centimeter away from her own. She was trapped, just like that, and how slowly he had done it-how he had done everything.

This whole time he had been gentle. From the very beginning-he didn't throw her in a death-trap, forcing her to come with him or die. He had been cautious and soft, even in his words. Even in all of Jenny's memories, he had never hurt her. He had healed her-had protected her from pricking her finger on the thorns again. It was…._nice_.

No, he hadn't. Nice didn't use your friends against you, didn't put their lives on the line just to have you to himself. Nice didn't make you willingly go with him in front of your drowning boyfriend, making that the last thing he sees clearly-his girlfriend being taken away by a demon.

Jenny should be angry. She should hate this man after everything he had done. He had treated her so specially, so different. This whole game could've gone so differently.

"Why couldn't you be like this from the beginning?" She asked. She kept her gaze down, on the railing under her, ignoring the heat that stung her eyes. "Why did you have to be so…."

There was a slight pause before he answered her. "Because _this_ is only reserved for you. Remember, Jenny? I'm evil."

Jenny faced him, which was a bad idea she realized after she did it because now he had her trapped, leaning against the railing between his arms. "But not to me," she said quickly. "You were never cruel to me. Even as kids."

The air was light-mystical with magic raining from the atmosphere. The two of them were cloaked in the other-worldly sensation, unable to name it, unable to stop it.

Julian was searching her now, not just her eyes, but all of her-her flawless skin, her thin lips, her slender neck-All the factors that _did_ something to him. Even now, he relished in the sight of her, questioning it all, wondering which factor it was-what it was about her that had driven him to this point. He didn't even notice he was touching her until she flinched-But she didn't pull away. She never did.

He was running his fingers down her jaw-line, admiring its structure, its beauty. Then his thumb was tracing the edge of her lips, carefully, curiously.

"No," he said eventually, and it was hushed with a sincerity Jenny didn't remember. "I never dreamed of hurting you…."

Oh, it hurt. Jenny couldn't remember why, but that look on his face-the feeling of such loss in the air-made her throat swell shut. Her hands even ached because of it. The heat in her eyes, she finally realized, were threatening tears, and it took everything in her to keep them back.

"Why didn't you just take me with you?" The question broke out, vulnerable and _raw_. "When I opened the closet that day? You-You promised me…."

Surprisingly, Julian didn't answer her. He just stared at her, seeing what she couldn't see-what she didn't remember. It made the tightening in her chest finally rupture.

"I'm so _sick_ of not remembering anything. You say you're evil, but you want to make me happy-You said you don't make people happy So why-_Why_-"

In the next moment, Julian was against her. Her hands were pinned under his; she was pressed tight against the railing as he leaned his body flush to hers. Their foreheads were touching now, and he spoke above her lips in a heated whisper. "The offer's still open, Jenny. I'll still return them, and you can stay-I'll help you remember everything-**All** of it."

The fear struck Jenny right through the heart because she actually felt the agreement on her tongue, felt the submission in the way her body went slack against his-She panicked. "I-I can't. I can't."

"Why not?"

It actually shocked Jenny. The shadows she saw in his eyes, like something had been carved out long ago, leaving open holes, unable to be filled. Jenny didn't want to remember what had caused those wounds. It terrified her.

Oh, it was so wrong. He was a demon-She was just human. They weren't supposed to be like this. They should have never met-

But they did. Because of her grandfather-What Dark magic he had been dwelling in. Jenny had fallen for his tricks, for his offers. They had talked-But there was a gaping black hole Jenny couldn't see passed, and now they were here.

It was her family, she realized. What took up the space in that hole was her family, her friends, her _life_. Going to school, looking for a job, getting pizza with her friends on the weekend, going shopping-She had a life. She had other people she cared about, and they cared about her. If she just left-If she never saw them again to be with Julian…

"It would break them," Jenny whispered. "My friends, my family. I need them, and they need me. I can't just…abandon them."

Julian processed that, she saw the shadows churning in those dark cobalt pools, before he looked away. He still held her there, trapped on the balcony in a Palace of Egypt, in his arms and yet entirely out of reach. Something very troubling was on his face, something Jenny could never understand.

"Would you believe me if I told you, you had once before?"

Jenny took that thought in, purposely leaving everyone behind, and it vanished immediately-Impossible. And yet, Julian looked back at her with a gaze so intense, so fierce that Jenny realized he was serious. He was being honest-He knew of things Jenny didn't remember. But she couldn't have left everyone-It was impossible. How? _Why?_

Her temples actually throbbed with pain, spurring on a headache Jenny was unable to be prepared for. It hurt. To not remember the part of her life in that black hole that involved Julian-It physically hurt. Jenny had to look away, turn her head to the side and clench her eyes shut because then she was crying. She bit back her sob and squeezed the tears back because she couldn't-she _couldn't_ give in….

Julian's lips appeared on her ear, brushing it in a graze as mystical as the silver flower, and he whispered so softly-so honestly. "Are you frightened?" He asked. "Answer me truthfully, Jenny. Right now, are you upset? Do you feel detached? Unwanted?"

Oh, it was so hard. She couldn't shut any of this out-She never could. She may have fought him when she was younger, in childish banters due to his games and cockiness; but now-Older, wiser, with all these missing pieces and such beautifully sour words, Jenny couldn't win. Just like the last round, he had defeated her down to the last nerve because he was right.

Jenny couldn't deny it, but she didn't dare try and speak-terrified of what might slip out. All she could manage was a slight shake of her head.

He released her then, and he turned her head back to him with a touch as soft as a cat's paw. Jenny couldn't fight it. She opened her eyes, tears finally breaking loose in hot streaks down her cheeks. That was the final straw for Julian because he crashed their lips together instantly.

Instant colors sparked under Jenny's eyes-impossible, mind-blowing shades. It was like electricity-No, it was the power. From what he was, from what they had, that tingled through every kiss, tickling their lips, prickling their tongues. The world dropped away, leaving them floating in the air. Jenny was flying, in Julian's arms, with the magic and the wonder in the air seeping through her skin, into her veins. It was dazzling. It was wonderful-

Only now it hurt.

Jenny didn't remember kissing Julian. If they ever had, somehow she knew, it never felt like this before. Because as wondrous and enchanting as it was, there was a desperate sprang of pain behind it. That strain of loss Jenny felt earlier, that she remembered, was as present as the velvet pleasure in the kiss. It burned right down her throat, to her heart, where her breath was gone immediately.

It was in that moment that Jenny realized their bond, whatever they had together, went far beyond a simple conversation through a closet door. It was more than the little riddles and games they had shared. Those were just the seedlings. Now, it had sprouted into something completely foreign, supernatural almost, and like the ivy on the railing behind them, the vines of such a bond wrapped tight around Jenny's heart, constricting to the point of pain. They _had_ something together. Something Jenny forgot.

But Julian remembered. He proved it in the way he kissed her. As he held her there, her hands trapped on his chest, with the blazing purple skyline behind them, all it took was a simple change in pressure in the kiss and Jenny could see a beautiful stretch of twilight flash under her eyes; into a place somewhere very far off, a space between the nine worlds-a place she knew and missed very much. Jenny felt it-the need, the passion-coming through Julian's kisses, making that swell of loss and want grow stronger. No, not want. **Need**.

That's why Jenny didn't understand when Julian pulled away. He did it slowly, separating their lips in a move that was almost painful. Jenny was still shocked from the sensation, standing there with her eyes closed for a moment longer, just _feeling_. When she finally did open her eyes, Julian wasn't looking at her. He still held her in his arms, against his chest, but his gaze was cast to the side, and he looked _furious_.

She could feel it-She remembered his temper; the way those sapphire eyes could go from bright with magic like a child's to as fierce as two blue flames of an inferno in a heartbeat. The tension in his body grew rigid under her hands on his chest, like a very taut rope coiling tighter and tighter, fit to burst and unravel at any second.

"W-What?" Jenny breathed.

Julian had to take a deep breath before he could answer her. "It seems…your friends have finished the level."

Just like that, Jenny felt the weight of reality come sinking back in, and what a dreadful weight it left in her. In the back of her mind, a spark of hope came through, at the thought of her friends lives, at what they had to go through, at _Tom_-But then it was gone. Like a snowflake to a flame, it melted in an instant, consumed by this unbearable feeling of being in the Shadow Man's arms. It destroyed her common sense-She couldn't move.

She was expecting a smile, or even a laugh perhaps from the Prince of Darkness-Any kind of sign from the result of the game, but he didn't. He gazed back at her with a look Jenny hadn't seen before; A deep intensity that made those shadows in his eyes overwhelming, much like a large feline zoning in on its prey.

He released her only to grab her by the shoulders. "Forgive me, love. But I'm tired of waiting."

Then he shoved her, _hard_, where the railing was gone and Jenny fell into an endless pit of shadows.

…-

Jenny had barely got the breath back to scream before she hit the water. The cold enveloped her, dragging her under the surface in an icy plunge. Her dress immediately clung to her, tangling around her legs, making it hard to stay afloat. She fought it hard, spurring herself up just enough to break the surface. Although she gasped for air, her mind was still drowning, unable to sort through what the hell just happened. She didn't have time to figure it out. The dress was weighing her down, twisting her up, working against her. She desperately reached for the latch in the back while trying to stay above the surface. The currents were rough, throwing Jenny around, crashing down upon her relentlessly. She finally got it loose and dragged herself out of the dress, having to go under the water only for a moment before she was free.

The cold really gripped her then, being in only her bathing suit top and her skirt, which she was surprised was still on. The sandals remained as well, slowing Jenny's kicks to the surface only slightly.

Before Jenny could even figure out where she was, something crossed the water in front of her. She grabbed it without thinking, anything to help her stay afloat. She grabbed it, recognizing the wet wood, but it wasn't until she leaned her upper half onto it to support her that she realized it was a door.

Then she heard the giggle. She searched around her, looking around at the streams of water and the waves crashing around her, but the noise didn't come from around her. It came from under the water. It came again and Jenny only recognized it as the voice of a little girl. A light shone from under the surface just on the other side of the door, growing brighter and brighter until it sprouted colors, blending into the water, morphing into blurry shapes. Then, like a movie, it played out so fluidly.

Jenny could only stare as the watery image of her five year old self went running into her bedroom, straight to the closet door, sitting down in front of it like the countless times before. She was talking, although Jenny couldn't hear anything besides her muffled voice rambling beneath some bubbles. She was talking to Julian, Jenny knew, all the way to the point where she fell asleep there on the floor. Jenny had left the lights on, but somehow they went out by themselves, rendering the image into a milky shadow in the water. Jenny knew-She remembered that it was Julian who had turned them off somehow.

Jenny finally looked across the water, in order to see anything-to figure out the game, right. This must be the next level. Well if the last one was Tom's, then the only person left was Zach's. But all Jenny saw was water, endless currents of waves and foam. Did he fear water? Drowning? No, they used to swim together all the time as kids. Maybe it was what was _in _the water-

Oh, God don't think about that.

Jenny let go of the door, swimming around it, farther into the water. There had to be something. She had to run into her friends, or Zach, or _something_. And she did. Into another floating door.

Jenny didn't want to stop, so she grabbed the edge of the wood to pull herself around it. Only when she got to the other side, there were lights again, and colors. Quickly rising to the surface, displaying yet another milky image. This one Jenny didn't remember. She saw the blurry outlines of her younger self, playing with her cousin in their backyard. A game of chase, where Zach was running. All until Little Jenny passed the door to the shed. Jenny heard the muffled echo of her name even through the water, and watched her younger self's face lit up. She opened the door and ran inside where the inside of the shed morphed into the beautiful thrush of woods, with bright yellow leaves, and twisted branches. The image of Julian, younger and carefree, was waiting for her amid it all, where she met him with an excited hug.

The image faded, once again colors dissipating into nothing but shadows under the surface. Jenny was confused for a moment, but then she remembered. Julian would call for her. Much like how she heard him through her closet, he would send his voice through whatever doorway was closet, spurring Little Jenny to cross the magic threshold, to him. Every time she was-

Time.

Oh Jenny had completely forgotten about their time limit. How long had it been since they started? How much time was left?

Jenny kicked herself off the door, swimming faster, scanning the water for her cousin when suddenly the doors were everywhere. Floating quickly down the currents, they passed her in the dozens, different styles, different colors. Jenny didn't understand. She tried to swim passed one, but it was impossible not to keep going without running into one.

She touched one and the light show came up in a rush of bubbles, showing her when she was ten years old, sleeping in her room, when Julian's voice called for her in her dreams, waking her up. She had crawled out of bed, half awake, and walked through her closet-to the mystical world waiting for her, where Julian casually pulled her into a hammock in the trees, laying with her as she fell back asleep in his arms.

The another: Her and Julian in a bright place, flames dancing in the backgrounds, with him showing her the runes, comforting her when she disliked the pain from having to use her own blood. But she said it aloud, just as he taught her, and the flames behind her went crazy. She was scared at first, until Julian calmed her, controlling the flames for her, making the sparks swirl around them in graceful dances. He even caught a handful of the flames, and after some gentle coaxing, he passed the flames into Little Jenny's bare hands. Jenny remembered now that there had been no pain. Only excitement as she held the fire in her palms, then with a childish glee she threw them above her head, letting the sparks rain down in delight.

Jenny didn't understand. A wave hit her from behind, almost dunking her under, making her paddle harder to stay above the surface. What was this? Why was she remembering all this now?

She swam harder, trying to make it somewhere-anywhere, but the doors interfered. Every one she touched, she saw-she remembered. Another time with Julian, another moment between them. The things he offered her, the games they played, the places they went. Sometimes they didn't even do anything. Sometimes they just met somewhere, exotic and nowhere near Earth, and merely sat in each other's presence.

Jenny ran into a door where she saw a moment exactly as that, where Julian sat at her feet in the grass, as ten year old Jenny played on a rope swing that rested on the edge of a cliff, where each swing forward left her dangling over a very long and dangerous drop. Surprisingly, he had asked _her _more questions than she asked him; about her school-life, about things on Earth, about some things as simple as colors themselves. Jenny remembered getting off the swing and hugging the young Shadow Man, surprising both of them. She had felt bad for him, because he was alone, in a dark world of shadows and cruelty. But he was never cruel to her, and he showed her so many colors in the world.

Jenny's eyes burned now, and she blamed it on the water hitting her in the face. It wasn't salty like the ocean, thankfully, but it still burned all the same. The cold was beginning to feel numbing, spurring Jenny to swim harder. But she couldn't-She didn't understand.

Then she saw it. Off in the distance, over the stretch of water, was land. No, it wasn't quite land. It was the light reflecting off the water in a bright blur, imitating the appearance of a sandy shore. Yet, resting in the middle of it was a door. This door was different, standing firmly upright, water splashing across its frame. There was nothing else around it, nothing even behind it, but Jenny still saw it either way. That was her way out. Maybe if she opened that door then the water would drain and she would find Zach, or something.

But there was _nothing_. She couldn't see anything else. Nothing sat between the water line and the blue sky. Nothing but herself, the waves, and the doors-

The doors she always had to cross to visit Julian.

It hit her, and she gasped in a mouthful of water, choking her. This wasn't Zach's round at all. It was her own.

A door bumped her from behind, showing her the image of Julian helping her carve the runes around a doorway, then coating them in her blood. _"Say them aloud," _his voice echoed gravely from under the surface, _"and I'll always be there to greet you."_ And Jenny had, which looked like blurry rays of color under the water now. It was the portal between the dimensions, which Jenny used almost very day after school in order to see the Shadow Man.

Jenny swam away from it. She tried to avoid the doors. The fear was there-afraid of what she didn't remember. She didn't want to see anymore.

But it was inevitable. She couldn't cross the stretch of water to the door without hitting the ones floating passed her. They just kept coming, cutting her off, surrounding her, trapping her in too many flashes of her memories.

Her crying that Julian made her swear not to tell anyone about him. Feeling bad when Tom asked her if she liked him in sixth grade. Calling for Julian when her parents scolded at her for something at age seven. Julian appearing out of the shadows to heal her scabbed knee. Julian teaching her to dance at eleven years old. Julian teaching her to solve riddles. Julian running his fingers through her honey hair when she was mad. Julian holding her with no purpose at all. Julian here-Julian _everywhere_.

She saw the places he took her, even Jotunheim, and the secrets of the nine worlds he rambled on about. He was her teacher. He was her friend-And Jenny was _his_. Shadow Men didn't have friends. They had prey. Jenny had questioned him on it, asking what she was, what _this_ was. And in the memory in the water, he had bowed to her, took her hand and kissed it. _"You asked me once to make you a Princess. And so I shall."_

Jenny finally dove under the water, but it was nothing but black under there. She tried to swim under the doors, eyes closed, as far as she could with one breath, but it wasn't enough. She had to come up, where another door-another memory was waiting.

"Stop it!" Jenny screamed. The current was stronger. The water was colder. The doors were coming faster now, hitting her with memory after sweet memory, but Jenny didn't want to remember anymore. She had, she really had, but she had seen enough now. She was afraid to, because the harder she swam, the worse that feeling got-That terrible sense of loss Julian had awakened earlier. She didn't want to remember why-Why he had stopped seeing her, why she didn't remember, because it was something awful-something painful.

But Julian didn't come for her this time. This was the game-She knew her fear. And she wasn't going to win without facing it.

God, she didn't want to. But even if she lost, Julian would make her remember, when he had her back, as his. And her friends….

So Jenny swam on, forcing herself through the sea of doors, through the memories, for her friends. Wherever they were, whatever terrible challenge they were facing without her, it would all be for nothing if she gave up. She had to do it-She had to finish this round, on her own, if she wanted to save them all.

With the only standing door in her sights, Jenny gave it her all. She swam through every door in her way, paddled through the memories in the water, breaking them apart into separate streaks of colors but still remembering all the same. She tried to ignore the memories flashing in her mind, to focus solely on swimming toward that door, but the emotions, the feelings were too much. The fear got worse, the currents were throwing her around-

It wasn't until Jenny was closer to the exit that she realized the water was rising. The whole bottom third of the door was sunken in the water. If it went completely, under, Jenny knew somehow, then she would lose.

Like hell that was happening.

Jenny tried diving again, kicking as hard as she could to get some distance. She remembered lying in her bed at twelve years old, contemplating which was greater, her life on Earth, or her adventures with the Shadow Man. Jenny broke the surface and threw the next door away. She remembered her parents scolding her, asking her where she always suddenly disappeared to without telling anyone. Jenny started throwing herself passed the doors, swimming harder, faster. She remembered Julian asking her to stay, and Jenny almost stopped swimming.

He had asked her. **So many times**, he had asked her to stay. He _asked_ her. Didn't take, like Shadow Men were supposed to. He _asked_, relentlessly.

The door was now half-sunken in the water, but Jenny was so close to it. It was her legs; she was starting to grow tired. The exhaustion from fighting was wearing down on her, with the weight of that feeling-that fear. Jenny pushed passed it, riding the next wave of water to the bright light, hovering on the surface of the water like a boat of golden glow. Jenny jumped into it, feeling the power tingle against her skin, right to the door's surface. She landed against it, strength wearing thing, fear eating her heart.

She tried not to think about it. She found the handle under the water and pulled. But the door didn't open so easily. The water was stronger than her will, throwing the currents at the door, keeping it closed. Jenny was struggling to stay afloat when the water rose higher, closer to the door's top. She tugged on the door, before the wave crashed her back into it.

It was no use. She couldn't get it open, not in this much pressure. She was too weak-too scared.

But, like a whisper in the back of her mind, Julian's voice flowing in, louder than the roar of her memories. _"One person's weakness can very well be someone's strength."_

He was right. She was scared. She was afraid of the pain of remembering, but all choices have consequences. She'd be damned if she made this a bad one.

So as much as it hurt, as much as she feared it, Jenny put both hands on the handle. She couldn't lose-She couldn't give up. She couldn't afford to. As bad as the fear of remembering was, the fear of staying as she was-unknowing, questions unanswered, was worse.

Jenny braced her feet on the slim piece of wood that rested at the doorway, and with the next swell of the water, she pulled as hard as she could. It was tough, forcing gravity and pressure to shift to her will, but she had controlled the elements with her bare hands before. This was nothing.

It took one more strong tug, with all her strength, and the door gave in. It opened with a _pop_ and immediately was thrown out of her hands by the water. There was no time to react. The water swallowed the top of the door right as Jenny was thrown through it by the next wave, rolling her right into an endless sea of black.

It was like watching a movie. The water had numbed her body for the whole process, leaving only images and feelings. It happened too fast. Jenny didn't know how to prepare herself for it when she didn't know what _it_ even was.

She didn't land anywhere. She didn't even breathe. There was a change in the atmosphere, like a burst of some sort, then it was over. It came so fast. It felt like the end of the world, the drop of an atom bomb. As it ended, and the waves of destruction came crashing over everything, there was no way Jenny could brace for the aftermath.

Because she remembered _everything_.

**Gosh this took so many times to perfect DX I still hate some parts of it which I shouldn't, but its irritating when thing don't come out the way you want them too XP I tried to make it as long as possible for you guys! Julian overloads, yeah! XD I'm gonna kill you guys making you wait for the next chapter now but forgive me! My book is now in the editorial stage so I'm busy working with my Agent on the cover and any interior designing, then there's work and school just started again so busy busy busy! DX For that reason I appreciate everyone for being so patient and understanding. :D Please review to let me know how I'm doing! Much thanks!**

**Till my next update!**

**ZVA**


	5. Chapter 5

It had been six months after the incident at her grandfathers. She was just a child; she hadn't understood at the time. There had been an accident, a fire of some sort, and Jenny's family never heard from their grandfather ever again. They heard of the fire, how the firefighters found such strange objects and markings all over the place. A mad man, they had called him, who must've ran off after setting the house ablaze in a fit of madness since they had found no body in the ruins.

Little Jenny hadn't been told about that. Only that she could no longer go to her grandfather's that next summer because plane tickets cost money and they didn't have the money for it anymore. Everything from there, that last summer spent at her grandfather's house had been like a dream. Her imaginary friend only existed in her dolls from then on. That was until the next summer came.

Little Jenny had been sent to her room after a hissy-fit, wailing and crying in a mess of young emotions. She finally buried herself in the covers of her bed, sniffling and mumbling pathetic mewls. Then she heard it; her name, called so softly in a voice as whimsical as a breeze. But that was impossible, even to the wild imagination of a six-year old.

Still, she stopped, lifted her head.

There was a long pause for a while where Jenny's sobs had returned, the distraction gone and the frustration returning. Then…

"Come now, don't cry."

With a gasp, she jumped off her bed, immediately going over to her closet door. But she wasn't at her grandfather's, she was at home. Her closet was different, no slits, just a solid block of white, painted the same as the walls, almost like in disguise. She hesitated, wiped her eyes dry, and leaned her ear against the door, listening to the silence behind it for a long moment.

"Are you in there?" she had asked in a careful whisper.

Silence.

"You could say that."

She gave a childish squeal, and opened the door in an instant. Instead of seeing the hanging clothes and piles of toys, she was met with the gorgeous invitation of a thrush of flowers. They rose taller than her, like walls of a hallway. All different types and colors, so vivid, so pretty. At the end of the stretch of this garden was Julian, exactly as Jenny had last seen him, in the appearance of a teenager. He opened his arms and Little Jenny ran to him in a heartbeat, colliding with him in a spur of glee.

From then on it was erratic, random meetings. Julian called for her from everywhere, always coaxing her over with surprises and gifts. Whenever Jenny was sad or alone, she would call for him, and he always arrived in some shape or form. Even in her dreams, he chased away her nightmares and filled them with the beautiful views of ponies and mermaids, anything she wanted to see.

The last time, Jenny remembered, was when she was twelve. It seemed almost natural, just a few years ago, to be called by the Shadow Demon and go willingly to whatever mystical realm he had open for her. This time it was merely a field, stretched as far as Jenny could see, and filled entirely of flowers. Yellow flowers actually, of various types and sizes, but there were so many of them that the grass of the field was not visible. It was just one endless patch of flowers. Jenny had been laying in the middle of them all, being cushioned by the numerous soft petals and surrounded by such a combination of suckle-sweet scents. Julian had been beside her, as always; gaze permanently stuck upon her face as she rambled on about childish nonsense.

"And then Audrey thought we should take a limo-Her dad's, like, super rich. But, I mean, we're just twelve! We don't need a limo to go to the skate rink…But it was for her birthday, so… But then Dee started fighting with her, and my parents got mad and-" She ended with a sigh, letting her head drop back into the bed of yellow daisies behind her. "It was just too complicated."

In one fluid motion, Julian rolled to his side, bringing himself even closer to Jenny than he had already been, and propped his head up by leaning on his elbow in the same bed of daisies. He was practically hovering over her, and Jenny could feel it-feel his weight just mere inches away from her side, but she didn't open her eyes.

"You were conflicted by the extravagant need for the limo," he said carefully, more as a statement than a question. "Why?"

Julian watched as Jenny's eyebrows, which were like two perfect strokes of an artist's brush, pinch together as she pondered on her response. "I don't know," she answered eventually, still with her eyes closed. "You see limos on TV for, like, big fancy dances and super rich things. And I mean-" Jenny finally opened her eyes just to roll them toward the sky. "I get it was for her birthday, she should get what she wants, right? But, I don't know… It did seem a bit much."

"But it would've been exciting, wouldn't it? To arrive in something so luxurious… To have everyone see you arrive so gloriously, and be filled with envy." Julian waited until Jenny's gaze came back to his. His punctuated his next sentence with a bounce of his eyebrows. "There's no shame in wanting something superb for yourself, Jenny."

Jenny only rolled her eyes once more, but the smile was soft on her lips. "Oh, don't go there."

"Go where?"

"I don't need nice things."

"But I could give them to you."

"I know…" Although Jenny hadn't planned on saying anything more, her voice surprisingly trailed off like she had. Slowly, her gaze landed among the flowers around her, at this impossible place sitting around her in one golden glow. She sat up, straining her eyes to see the end of this beautiful field, and failing. There were some trees nearby with the same matching yellow leaves, and some kind of mountains in the distance that seemed to separate them from the rest of the world.

Jenny hadn't realized she was spacing out until the gentle touch of fingers came to her. The faintest brush of skin as Julian gently pushed the bangs out of her face. Those bright, mesmerizing eyes gleamed at her like the rarest of sapphires. "What is it?" he asked.

Jenny felt it, the twinge of trouble in her mind, but she merely looked away. She hated trouble, even from the man who lived in it. She played with the bracelet on her wrist instead, spinning the plastic beads mindlessly. "Nothing."

"Jenny."

"Really, it's nothing. School just sucked today, and I'm nervous about Audrey's birthday-"

She was cut-off by the finger under her chin, tapping her mouth closed as Julian turned it back to him. It was the gentleness in Julian's sapphire eyes-those eyes that see right through everything-that finally spurred Jenny to say it. She never could hide anything from this Man of shadows.

She said it quietly, with her eyes down on the bracelet on her wrist. "Tom tried to kiss me this morning."

Julian didn't say anything, but Jenny felt him respond, just the slightest twitch in the atmosphere. A sudden gust of wind picked up and hit Jenny so hard that her hair whipped in her face. It was only instinct to turn her head away from its direction, but the ending result left her staring back at Julian. The gentleness in his features was entirely gone, no trace of it whatsoever, replaced by a controlled firmness.

"And?" His mystical voice was now as taut as a support cable, as it always was when Tom came into the conversation. It immediately put Jenny on edge.

"Well, I stopped him. I mean…" Her gaze dropped again and she didn't have to explain any further. The last time this happened, she saw Tom acting the same way to Audrey. Not kissing her, of course, but the way he presented himself, and how he talked to her was practically the same flirtatious, goofy way he acted with Jenny. He said it was nothing and Jenny shouldn't worry about it because Audrey was their friend; he wouldn't do something like that. But if he acted the same around both of them, then how did that make Jenny herself anything more than a friend to him?

Jenny didn't like to think about these things. It made her feel selfish, even childish, when she tried to make a point. That's why she had wanted to come here-well, not here exactly, just somewhere else in general, with Julian, so she wouldn't have to think about it. But, again, nothing ever seemed to get passed Julian.

It was quiet for a minute longer as the Shadow Man studied her, how her graceful lips quirked to the right just slightly when she was bothered by something beyond her control, how her gaze was never still and yet it never lifted from her lap. Eventually the wind settled down, causing just a soft breeze that tousled the golden ends of her hair.

He leaned closer to her then, still with his elbow propped up on his knee, and spoke against the hair that covered her ear. "What if _I_ tried to kiss you right now?"

Jenny's shocked gaze met his instantly, having to jerk her head back slightly when she found him closer. Her mouth opened at an attempt of a response, but her voice failed her. She could only stare at him, forest green eyes helplessly stuck on those impossible blue, as the flowers of their world hissed in the wind.

Her cheeks had collected a whole new shade of pink within seconds, and Julian's smirk only increased when the realization came into her eyes. Her hand came up to confirm the heat in her cheek, then quickly over her mouth. She finally turned her head away when she asked, "Wh-Why would you do that?"

"I'm leaving, you know."

By the time Jenny looked back at him, Julian was leaning back on his hands, long legs stretched out in front of him. He had his eyes closed, but his smirk had not faltered.

"What?"

"Not forever, I assure you. I promised to never leave you, didn't I?" Those sapphire eyes peeked towards her with a look that was so cocky it instantly put Jenny right where he wanted her. "But my Ancestors have had quite enough of my doddling. I should return. Who knows when I'll be able to visit you again-thus, I believe a goodbye kiss in order, don't you think?"

Jenny knew he was tempting her, just prodding her to get a good reaction. So instead of being embarrassed, she smiled right back at him. "I thought you didn't take orders from them?"

The smirk faltered a bit. "I don't."

"But you are."

"I'm doing it for myself," he said quicker, his voice a lot sharper than before. "Not because they told me to. As you do for your precious _Tommy_."

Jenny couldn't help flinching at that. As an effort to get back at him, she reached out and shoved at his chest. But Julian was swifter than anything mortal. He snatched her hands the second she touched him and allowed himself to drop back, dragging Jenny with him. She landed practically on top of the Shadow Man, her hands trapped under his on his chest, with her face mere inches away from his. The look Julian held on his face was one Jenny saw often when they were alone together; cool and collected, like someone who was satisfied from their food and yet continued to play with it. He held her there, laying against him in their own little world, until time slowed just enough for this moment.

When he spoke again, his voice was as soft as velvet, hushed and gentle in the air around Jenny. "I would give you every second in existence if you allowed me to. But…." He let the rest fall off to spare a glance at Jenny's lips, making the small blonde tear her eyes away. She didn't even bother to try and sit up, not when she already knew the ending result would be exactly where she is now. But the exotic tone of his voice, and what he was _saying_, made a shiver pass through her spine that she couldn't help but shudder at. The second Julian felt it, his gaze was back on hers in a flash. He smiled, and turned his head off to the side. "On the cheek will do."

Jenny thought about hitting him or yelling at him or even trying to get up, but they all died as fast as they had come. She knew she should sit up, to refuse him, because he was tricking her. It was just a game, and yet she couldn't stop staring at him. His profile was so eccentric, his features soft with those snow white bangs against smooth pale skin as he laid there with his eyes closed, waiting for her to….

How did he always know? How could he always tell what she was feeling, thinking-What she wanted without ever even bringing it up? He always knew how to push her buttons and piss her off and make her so _so _elated….

Tom couldn't compare.

Jenny knew she had been staring for a long while and all she could do was sigh. She hesitated, she really did, her neck straining as she leaned a little closer-stop-no, just do it-but really she shouldn't-but she was already so close-

She finally closed her eyes and let her lips sink down. But it was in that instant, where her lips were just above his skin that Julian turned his head. Their lips met in a flash, sparking both shock and delight. Jenny's head immediately recoiled, but Julian's hand was there in seconds, holding her there, keeping their lips in contact.

It was just a kiss, but it was **exhilarating. **Like pure electricity seizing through their lips, tingling, spurring them to change the pressure and enduing such a foreign feeling.

It was something Jenny would never forget.

She remembered that kiss now. She remembered when she finally got away that Julian had teased her about it and she had argued. But the memory quickly faded from something so thrilling to something very painful. Jenny remembered. She could see the halls of the school, of coming around the corner and seeing Tom with someone else-kissing. She remembered the betrayal, she remembered the jealousy, so sharp that it cut right through her. She also remembered hating herself-unable to choose, unable to accept the fact that Tom had chosen someone else. She saw herself running home, grabbing a knife from the kitchen, slamming the door behind her. She didn't remember the pain, but she saw herself cutting her hand, staining the carvings she had made around her closet door. She saw the power, saw it changing before her as the symbols began to spin. And when it stopped, Jenny opened it before she could scare herself about it because anything was better than having to deal with how she felt.

The place she ran into was dark and cold, made up of nothing but shadows. She didn't know how far she went into it, stuck somewhere between a jog and a run, but she remembered colliding with something.

Julian had stopped her, appearing out of nowhere, holding her so firmly by the shoulders. And Jenny had begun to cry. She didn't need to explain why, Julian already knew-he always knew. And in the next second Julian her face her cupped in both hands, tilted up as he kissed her so openly. Jenny couldn't have refused that kind of kiss even if she wanted to because it was just so raw-so desperate. She needed to feel that electricity, to feel Julian's strength and emotion swelling inside her from that kiss-from the way he held her up. She gave herself over to this Shadow Man that day, never intending to return.

But she was forced to. Jenny remembered instantly. She remembered there had been a time gap. She saw it, like a movie on fast forward, in various lands and exotic buildings, constantly by Julian's side as he introduced her to something knew, as he taught her how to use the runes, as he led her through some magnificent halls, as he held her, as he kissed her, and she laughed and smiled and enjoyed it. Jenny was happy. Truly, honestly happy with him.

Where they had been at the moment, Jenny couldn't remember. But she saw it change, how their environment had physically melted away, in a blink of an eye, and they were thrown back in the shadow world. Julian had thrown her behind him in a flash as suddenly a massive black cloud of power had rushed upon them. The eyes appeared first, Jenny remembered, such cold, cruel eyes, then the bodies. The other Shadow Men, as Julian had always told her about, the ones with elongated, disfigured bodies, some limbs replaced by animal parts, some limbs missing all together.

They had argued for a long while. About rights, about _Jenny._

"_You _can't do anything," Julian had been saying to them. "She's mine. Fair and square. I'll do with her as I please."

"Not anymore, boy."

All it took was a whisk of their arm and the image appeared. The one of a man, an elderly man that slowly faded into something else-into a square. A machine, one that sat in a very dark, very old arcade; of a fortune-telling wizard, structured entirely out of wood, with such a familiar face.

"Grandpa?" Jenny came out from behind Julian as she recognized it, and Julian allowed her to because it was then that it dawned on him, and the realization was pure shock to the young Shadow Man.

The bone-chilling voices of his Ancestors swept over them as they confirmed, "He gave his life for hers. She must be returned-"

"You had no right!" Julian immediately screamed, raw fury taking over his whole presence, but his Ancestors were right back at him.

"We had every right!"

"She's been a part of this from the beginning."

"She's ours as much as yours."

"And we want him."

"For so long."

"She must be returned."

"So we can have him."

"Our revenge."

When Jenny finally realized what was happening, she turned back to Julian where he was looking at her…._ desperately_. He didn't reach for her, he didn't call for her or even say a damn word. He just looked at her, speaking without words, that he could do absolutely nothing about the situation.

By the time Jenny came to accept that look as reality, she felt the cold power grabbing her from behind, a strength so inhuman that it seemed to pull on her very soul. Instantly, she struggled.

"No, no! Wait, Julian! What's happening-Stop it!"

"I can't." he said it firmly, with his eyes cast away from her.

"What?"

Julian couldn't look at her when he spoke, and the words came out roughly. "You have to go home, Jenny."

"Then I'll come back."

"You…won't remember anything."

The pulling actually paused, as if his Ancestors were enjoying this tragic moment. Jenny sat there in a grip of shadows, unable to fathom what was happening-how she felt-what she should do-

She remembered screaming, "Come find me!" Julian's gaze had snapped back at her in a flash. "Promise me-Swear to me you'll find me and-and put me in another game. Win me back-Swear to me!"

Jenny saw herself fade into the shadows, as his Ancestors whisked her away to return her back to Earth. But she felt more than saw the state Julian went into. She saw the struggle on his face at the laughter of his Ancestors, but the rage willed up faster than anything humanly possible. Jenny saw him turn, saw the world change around him as he was suddenly storming through an arcade, aiming for the newest wizard machine to the collection with the darkest intentions-

Then the memories faded. So quickly that Jenny felt a part of herself, a subconscious part, come slapping back to her. It ached in the back of her mind, down her spine to her legs where she felt her knees hit something rough. She collapsed, physically returning to her body, and she was forced back to reality.

The sandy stone beneath her was only shocking for a moment, then it was blurry. The tears blinded her immediately, streaming down her cheeks in stinging hot shocks. When she finally got a breath in, it hitched and choked in her throat. A hand slapped over her mouth to stifle the gasp, but she couldn't stop it. She was sobbing before she could fully come to, and the wave of emotions was too much to bear.

She had asked for this. This was her fault. They had been together-she had gone to him-and now they were playing, just like she asked. She had gone to him back then, and her grandfather sacrificed himself to get her back-he was dead because of her-and now her friends-

Jenny knew she heard footsteps. She heard her name being called from somewhere in the distance-her friends, looking for her. But nothing in her reacted. All the things she felt, all her memories, rendered her helpless, numb, useless. The hands over her mouth traveled up over her face, then she buried her head in her lap, and the result was much similar to finally slipping under the surface-drowning, finally.

It was the part Julian hated the most.

The first time he had seen her crying face, even though it was something pitiful from a child, he remembered; how disgusted he had been by it. Her flushes cheeks, her bloodshot eyes, how _infuriated _the sight made him. A part of him was relieved Jenny had her face covered now because it was the one thing that always drove him off course-her crying face-and he couldn't lose focus now. Not when the game was basically over.

He _loathed _the fact that Jenny was hurt, but it was inevitable. She needed to remember-she had _asked_ him to. Julian may not have fully understood the reason for her sobs, but he pushed the sounds of her cries away from him. He instantly remembered confronting that crying face five years ago, the _last _time she ever cried like this, back when she ran to him. Because of **Tommy**, and his kiss with another girl-that Julian may or may not had arranged from the shadows-the hurt that drove her straight to him. He hated her tears then, as he did now, but he had fixed them immediately. She never cried again after that, never with him. Nothing but that glorious smile, and the gleam in her emerald eyes, and _that shine_!

Oh, how he wanted to comfort her now. To take her back in his arms, like all the times before, to kiss away her tears and erase her fears-anything to make her smile again. Yet, her friends were there, running into the small empty room of stone she had landed in. Julian watched from the shadows, as if he was walking on the top of the invisible ceiling, looking right into the room just a few feet above them. He watched, with all straight curiosity, as the remainder of her friends rushed into the room, right up to her. The redhead was helping the boy who had been stupid enough to use his back as a shield, aiding him in walking in and leaning his weight against the wall. The smaller blonde was stuck in the center of the room, unsure of where to put herself, while the warrior knelt right to Jenny. Just like in the last game, how quickly all their attention was turned to Jenny, how easily all their fears lessened just slightly at the sight of her alive, breathing, here.

Then, Julian could only gape with a bit of thrill at how fast Jenny ripped herself away from the warrior. She denied her friend's comfort, jumping to her feet, and backed herself in the corner. She was still crying-oh, that **wretched **expression-but now she was practically screaming. She shouted at her friend in painful stutters and gasps for breath, explaining everything, rambling, sobbing, blaming herself.

Oh, that was cruel, but knowing Jenny, it wasn't surprising. She never could let any pain or trouble come upon her friends because of her, even small things. Julian hadn't intended for that. Jenny never would have to have gone through any of this if it wasn't for his Ancestors-If there was anything he could've done to keep her…

He knew she would've been upset. He knew she would've been angry at him, at his Ancestors even, but never this. Not cursing herself, _hating_ herself-the choices she made-to be with him. But it was there, the uncertainty in her shouts, her sobs about her friends, her grandfather, about him-that she asked him to bring her back.

She didn't deny it. Even as she stood there now, sobbing, confessing, she _couldn't _say it out-loud, whether or not it was true, that she regretted leaving them for the Shadow Man. And _that_ Julian did expect. So when she buried her face again, desperately trying to rationalize her thoughts, her fears, Julian wasn't surprised. She was so delicate, he remembered. The first time he had touched her, twelve years ago in the cramped, miserable space of that closet, she had been so fragile-so easy to break under his touch. Even as she cried, he remembered how easily he mended those tears, how quickly she smiled at him again-_at him. Again. _And every time after that, every tear she spilled, every cry she muttered, Julian bottled them up and ripped those fears away as much as possible-for her-with her. Again.

So Julian was honestly a bit shocked when the smaller blonde full-on tackled Jenny. It happened too quick for Julian to ever understand. She pinned Jenny against the wall, wrapped tight in her tiny arms. Then the redhead was on her, hugging her. The warrior slung an arm over her shoulders. Even the boy, through the obvious pain and blood-trail he was leaving on the ground, hobbled over and did the same. Julian could only watch as the shock, the _fear _in Jenny's expression slowly winded down. Then Jenny clung to her friend, much like she used to cling to him, buried her face in the crook of the redhead's neck, and cried until there were no more tears left. They didn't even have to say anything to her. Slowly, Jenny calmed down, just from their embrace alone.

Julian didn't understand. The comfort came and went too easily. How could they have mended her pain without so much as a single syllable?

_Companionship. _Ah, right. Her friends were _so _precious to her. He knew that. He had always tried to keep her mind from wandering back to them when she was his. But he never did something as boring as a hug. Of course he embraced her, but he always shushed her, kissed her, fed her, gave her clothes, jewels, toys, games-anything she wanted. These mortals couldn't do that. They weren't even saying anything! How could that be so much easier than-

"_Am I your friend?"_

Oh.

She had asked him once. Julian remembered that day, back before Jenny was truly his, how he could merely sit there for a moment from her question. Right, _they had been in the tallest treetops, above a massive green lands with magic in the air and the sun setting in the distance, erupting all of Jenny's favorite colors into the sky above them. She had been nine years old, playing with the golden cuff-link on his sleeve, which was somehow more interesting than the breathtaking view around them._

"_Is that what you want to be?" He had asked._

_Jenny looked up then, from her crisscross seated position parallel to him. Those eyes were as bright as jades in the sunlight. "Well, duh," she said, like it was stupid of him to ask such a thing. But then her eyes dropped back to his cufflink, popping the button in and out of place over and over again. "I don't want you to hate me."_

_Julian had tilted her head back up with his free hand, giving her the softest of smiles-the one only reserved for her. "My Jenny, I would __**never **__hate you."_

"_Then we're friends?"_

"_If that's what you wish to call it, yes."_

_But she didn't smile like Julian was expecting her to. Her frown remained. "But Shadow Men don't have friends."_

_Oh._

_She dropped her grip on his sleeve then, so Julian had responded by dropping his hand from her face. For a moment, he could only look her over, searching those curious green eyes, those pursed thin lips of hers, the crinkle between her perfect eyebrows, clearly showing her troubling confusion._

"_No," he finally answered, simply, in a flat tone. "We don't."_

"_Then why am _I _your friend?" She sounded almost offended by the question, but instead of pulling herself away, she actually scooted __**closer**__, rustling the leaves that held them there in the sky. She _looked _at him, at his blue eyes, at his bleach-white hair, like there was something missing from his profile, something she wanted very badly to see. "I mean, I know why. You told me that, but…Why are you alone? Why don't you make more friends-"_

"_You're only one I need, my Jenny."_

"_But you're still alone," she had stressed. "When I'm not here…"_

"_Then stay." Again, he asked her, gently tracing a finger down her perfect jaw line. "We would both never feel lonely or sad or troubled. We'll be happy. Together."_

_That's when her gaze dropped again, mindlessly twisting one of the leaves her under foot. After a moment of silence, she said, "I could introduce you to my friends, you know. They'd like your magic. I could explain-"_

"_It doesn't work like that."_

"_But-"_

"_I can't stay on Earth. I've told you that. Besides, this-" he finally tore her gaze away, physically turned her head so she gazed out at the beauty was giving her. "-is only reserved for you. I could give you so much more than this. I could make you happy, here, with me. Then I would never be lonely again."_

Julian had to shake the memory off. He refused to dwell in the ending of that day because she had looked at him **like that**-with pain in those cypress eyes. He had hurt her without meaning to, again, because she had to refuse his offer. _Again_. She had to choose her life on Earth over him _again. _He had to return her home after that _again_. He had to wait and watch from the shadows as she lived her life without him again and _again_ and when she finally was his, she was ripped away _again_ and then he had to watch her live and smile without him _again _and forget him and ignore the shadows and the magic and-

**No**, no more! He couldn't have waited any longer. If his Ancestors tried to interfere-No, if _anything_ in all the realms tried to take her away from him again, they were going to have to carve his name out.

All it took was a thought-his next frustrated, impatient thought-and the room under his feet changed. Jenny, and both her friends, flinched as the walls moved, quivered, and turned. Julian watched as their group hug slowly separated, each head taking its turn to see the opening doorway, the revealed hallway, the realization. Jenny was the last to look, and it was from that, with the slightest increase in the light of their room, that she finally noticed who was missing.

"Where's Tom?"

Oh, Julian loved how fast the fear returned to her friends, how quickly they put space between one another once again. None of them could explain right away, so Jenny had repeated herself, that marvelous firmness of her tone coming in crystal clear. Eventually one of them apologized. The smaller blonde began to cry. The boy tried to explain, but the fear had taken over his voice, making him stumble, lose his train of thought, unable to explain anything at all.

Julian prepared himself for more of Jenny's tears in the torturous silence that followed. He was beginning to contemplate what sort of trap he could activate to get them through the hallway, onto the next round, so that they could lose that round, too, and Jenny would return to him. Finally, Yet, he didn't get the chance to activate something because Jenny was already moving.

No, she was running.

She practically sprinted down that hallway, storming right through the shadows before he could light up the torches for her. Her friends followed her in a panic, the small blonde stopping to help the boy. Yet, Jenny stopped in the center of the hallway before they could force her to.

"_**Julian**_!"

That wasn't right. She's never called for him in that tone of voice. She's never stared up into the shadows with such a fierceness in her eyes, sparking them a striking lime green. She stood there, so rigid with her hands balled into fists at her side, and the remainder of her tears lining her eyes. She scanned the shadows, screaming for him again. Her friends tried to butt in, but again she threw them off, shouting again.

"Get down here! You don't get to do this-**Talk **to me! You bastard!"

Julian actually had to take a step back from the scene, to recollect himself in the shadows of this world. She truly was like a flame, burning so intensely, so severely. Her anger, her strength; she had developed so well, matured so much from the fragile little girl he had fallen for twelve years ago. It was _stunning_.

But it didn't please him as much as he thought it would. Because as much as he loved her fierceness, as beautiful as she was when furious, the source of such power was from _him_.

"You don't get to take him away from me!" She was screaming. "You give him back-_Right now_. You hear me?!"

Oh, he should've tortured that worthless boy. When the last round had ended, when her friends lost and Tom was his, he should've done _horrible_ things to him. There was no one else in the world Julian wanted to shred to pieces more than Tom Locke. But it hadn't gone that way. It had ended quickly-too quickly for his liking. Not that Julian would change his actions if he could; his attention had been busy elsewhere, on that glorious smile while that pathetic creature gasped and choked-

Seeing her anger from Tom' loss now made something ugly coil in Julian's gut. It sparked his irritation, way beyond his control. His next thought was quick, rash. The walls of the hallway immediately began to close in on them, coming together fast, too fast. They barely had time to react. Her friends instantly back-tracked into the room they were just in, their closest escape. Their panic was immediate, fear and adrenaline combining unbelievably fast. Jenny had begun to follow them, the fear of being crushed to death taking over her senses-

But she stopped. After two quick steps, she stopped, and the marvelous strength of hers was back like a spark. She planted herself there, tall, stiff, facing the walls with her chin held high. Her friends screamed at her. The blonde was crying again as the warrior held her back, but they couldn't run in after her. The walls were pressing too close to fit through now. Julian watched, both amazed and anxious, as Jenny tried to hold her composure as the walls came closer, brushing her clothes, then her skin. They started to squeeze her, shifting her body more to the side so she fit better. And even then, when they were just on the verge of causing her pain, she tilted her head back, eyes closed, and **bared it**.

That's when Julian stopped the walls. Just as they were on her, just before they would actually cause her damage, he froze them right where they were. Was he surprised she didn't scream or beg for him to stop? Was he surprised she stood up to his tricks? She was _Jenny_. He really shouldn't have been.

This round, however, wasn't going as exactly as he planned. Her reaction to her memories had been off as well. Oh, well. Jenny didn't want to play by the rules? That was fine with him. He could just pull that time limit card once more. Jenny was going to be his one way or another by the end of this game.

Even if she hated him for it.

So he released the walls just enough for her to breathe, giving her a sliver of air between them, before he erased the ground, dropping all of them into an endless pit of shadows.

…-

Jenny must've passed out again because she woke up on the floor with that strange loss of time. At first her mind was confused because all she saw were shadows, but she felt the floor under her and the cold from its smooth touch officially woke her up. The immediate silence, with the eerie sense that this new room was impossibly massive, instantly triggered her previous angst. She got to her feet, not caring about what exactly this new room contained, and started walking. Of course it was hard to act like you were indestructible when you couldn't see your hands outstretched in front of you, but Jenny was anything but scared. She already said she was done, and she just proved that Julian would never hurt her on purpose. Her chances now were that she'd fall down another black hole, or run into a wall

She was half expecting to run into Zach or perhaps the last game, but as Jenny kept walking, that thought began to fade. Her instincts were telling her she had plenty of room around her, that her room was the largest of all the ones she's seen, and yet she couldn't even hear her own footsteps echoing around her. She felt the ground, felt the thin lining of the air, but there was nothing else. No noises, no sights, no colors. Just black, everywhere. Somehow it unnerved Jenny more than it should've.

But she kept walking, either way. She ignored the slight tickle on her ankles, as if there was some fog in this room, escaping from her steps like outstretched claws. She ignored the chills that began to prickle at her bare skin, and kept walking forward and forward and forward.

Just when she began to wonder how long this room was, Jenny saw a light. Small at first, like the flicker of a candle flame in the distance, but as Jenny moved toward it, she saw not a flame but a bulb. The closer she got, the more she started to make out that half of this room. She could see a bench-no, a bed, with the same jean Claude comforter that she had. Yes, and a dresser in the corner, the familiar flowers on the windowsill. Wait...

The floor Jenny was on was entirely black, the same for the walls. As Jenny approached the doorway to the bedroom, confusion slowing her steps, she noticed the walls ahead of her were very thin, almost transparent. The substance looked like black fog, yes it filled the room, the walls, the floor.

Jenny remembered this, and she wasn't surprised. She had been in rooms made of shadows plenty of times before. Julian had made this room for Jenny to land in after she fell. Why she was led to a replica of her room, however, was beyond her.

Just as Jenny reached the doorway, the light seemed to shift and she was face to face with herself.

At first jenny stopped dead in her tracks, a slight gasp escaping her lips. A mirror, she thought, but that died as fast as it had come when Jenny's reflection was still wearing her shirt. She was dressed in the same blouse and skirt that Jenny had on this morning, back before her hair was a mess or her skirt was filthy. For a moment she was having a staring contest with herself and Jenny almost believed she was looking into some strange mirror, until her reflection moved. Jenny watched as her image started fixing her hair by running her fingers through it, then checking her makeup. Then she turned, surprised by something. Jenny remembered, she had finally looked at the clock. Then, just as it happened this morning, Jenny grabbed her phone and ran out of the room, leaving the cute pink present sitting alone on the bed.

Before Jenny could think on it, the door that her reflection just ran through popped back open. Only this wasn't the same memory. No, Jenny came running in with Audrey, both of them younger. Right, back when Jenny first met Audrey they used to go shopping together all the time. Here were their spitting images now at 15 years old, jumping onto Jenny's bed, ecstatic to try on the new shoes Audrey had.

Then Jenny saw when she was 13, cuddling on her bed with Tom while watching a movie. Then she was older again, pacing the room on the phone, clearly in a heated discussion with someone. Then by herself again when she was fourteen, burying her face in her pillow as she cried.

Jenny didn't understand. The anger was gone, replaced entirely with confusion. She finally moved forward to walk through the doorway, only she couldn't. Something was there-She felt it. When she put her hands in front of her there was some kind of barrier-Not glass, but Jenny could see through it. No, it wasn't a solid at all, she realized. It was some kind of power-it had to be. She could feel the energy thrumming under her palms, tickling her scars.

Another memory came into play of her room, showing her when she was still in her teens, sitting on her bed among the piles of homework and assignments. She had stopped, and was promptly examining those said scars on her palms with questioning. Right, she didn't remember. For all those years, she questioned what had caused them, cursed herself for not remembering.

Jenny didn't like how her gut sank from watching it. She pushed on the barrier, but its strength was innumerable. It didn't even bend or waver or anything. It stayed there, preventing her from going in, leaving her there only to watch-

It was the next scene that made Jenny realize what was happening.

She finally saw herself as a child, as five years old. She was sitting on the floor, leg's crossed, gazing up, as she always had done. But now she was seated at Jenny's feet, gazing up at her-No, it was the closet. She always sat in front of her closet, to talk to-

Jenny finally let go of the barrier now to stifle the gasp that rose in her throat. She was in her closet-No, in the manifestation that was her closet, where Julian had been. Where he was trapped, where he watched her from for all those years. Even _after_ that; Jenny understood. Because she was taken, because she didn't remember him and he didn't have permission, all he could do was watch her. Just like this, he watched. He was there-Always.

It was too much. She watched memory after memory, scene after scene of her life without Julian, knowing that Julian had seen this exact image-watched-couldn't touch or speak or bring her to him like before. It actually hurt, realizing what the Shadow Man had gone through, to watch her like this, while she went along smiling and continued with her life without him-without remembering him. Her heart dropped to her stomach in a slow sickening sense. She didn't like it. She didn't like it _at all_. Especially when she saw a scene of her with Tom, sharing a kiss the second they walked into her room.

The last image came with Jenny as she was now, probably from a few weeks back, strutting into her room, right over to the closet door. Something in the air snapped when her reflection opened the door, breaking a soft white haze that had been over the room that Jenny hadn't noticed before. The door swung open quietly, revealing Jenny's empty bedroom, crisp, clear, and real. Well as real as a replica of shadows could be.

Jenny couldn't take it. She stepped into the room, the numbness tingling to her very core. It even _smelled_ like her room, the faint scent of something soft from the flowers on her windowsill, although nothing could be seen because of the drawn curtains. She walked around the end of her bed, the soft carpet crunching under her emerald sandals, water dripping from her soaked skirt, leaving a trail from the closet. She was expecting it, so she braced herself the best she could. She stood there with her back to the closet across the room, eyes closed, holding her breath. It didn't take long.

"I never took my eyes off of you." The Shadow Man's voice came to Jenny exactly as it first had all those years ago-breezy, whimsical as if he was talking through the dimensions once again. Although this time it wasn't as faint, and now it was definitely more exalted. Hearing him so close, so much, made her stiffen immediately, eyes clenching shut tighter, as if bracing for the pain.

"I watched over you-Everything you did, my Jenny. I never looked away, not once." She heard him move closer and it took everything in her power not to flinch. "I was always there," he was continuing. "I never left your side."

Once he finished, Jenny had to take a deep breath. Opening her eyes, she realized she was holding back tears once again, only now she couldn't tell if they were from anger or angst. Still, she choked them back, leaving them hanging just on the verge of falling, and she turned.

Julian looked _relieved_.

It was odd to see since Jenny had never really seen such a look on the Shadow Man before. Yes, she'd seen playful and seductive and cruel, but never relieved; the features in his face never looked so relaxed, so cool. He was gazing at her, at every inch of her, as if truly taken aback that she was really there, three feet away from him. Too many emotions swelled inside Jenny because of it.

She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out at first. He watched her in silence, carefully, like she was an animal he didn't want to spook. Thus, Jenny tried to sound tough, but her voice came out shaky either way. "I asked you to bring me back," she finally said, "not torture all of my friends."

"You asked me to put you in a game," Julian clarified smoothly, like they weren't on the verge of an argument. "By the laws, I couldn't grab just you as a pawn. So I got you _indirectly_."

That's why he chose Summer's birthday, a day they were all together. He put their group in a game, not just Jenny. He found a loophole, of course. Now that Jenny remembered-the bargains, the rules-she wasn't surprised Julian had chosen this route. But her friends-after **four years**-

"You were going to kill them," she snapped louder, voice coming out stronger now. "You said you would've killed all of them to have me-"

"And I would have."

Jenny had to pause to let that sink in, to breathe. "How could you do that?"

Julian answered without missing a beat, like he had seen this coming. "I told you, Jenny. Remember? Shadow Men don't have friends. We don't care about companionship. I just want _you_."

He reached for her then, hand coming up to caress her face, but Jenny jumped away, which resulted in backing herself up in the corner. "No-_Don't_. You think I would just get over that? What makes you think you can hurt them, and expect me to be ok-"

"You're forgetting what I am, love." Julian's voice was firmer now, snapping into the little bit of fear hiding in Jenny's core. "Shadow Men are not _nice_. We don't play fairly. I'm taking you back, and nothing will get in the way of that."

"That doesn't give you the right to-to-"

"I don't need the right," he interrupted smoothly. "I 'm evil. I don't ask. I take what I want."

Something soft struck Jenny at that. "But you didn't take me. You _did _ask…"

That's when Julian's face changed, just the slightest bit, like crinkling a piece of paper. "Because I love you."

There was a moment, just a moment, where Jenny felt her breath hitch in her throat. The last time he said that to her-back before she was taken from him-he had said it just like that. They were back in that field of flowers, relaxing, playing, teasing. Julian had asked her something, Jenny forgot specifically, but Jenny had laughed and asked _"Why?"_

_And he merely smiled at her and said, "Because I love you." _

Oh, remembering all the times he said that to her-Jenny didn't know if she was flying or suffocating; the feelings were too similar.

"What does it matter now?" Julian was asking now, skillfully, with a soft smile on his lips. "They're alive. You're here-You remember. We can go _home_, now, my Jenny. Together."

And **that **sparked the fury right back into Jenny; like the flick of a match, quick, hot, and intense. "Do you think I'm stupid?" she snapped harshly. "You think I-I'm just gonna pretend everything's ok after what you've done?"

His head tilted to the side, his smile just barely on his face now. "And what have I done?"

She stared at him for a moment, shocked. "Tom is dead!"

"Who said that?"

The fury shattered.

Jenny's jaw dropped at that. Julian, surprisingly, said nothing more about that. He stood there, stiff, watching her, evaluating her reaction.

"You…_didn't_ kill him?"

Again, Julian didn't answer. Jenny felt her shoulders hunch in disbelief, or was it relief? She couldn't even tell what she was feeling anymore. So she put her back to the Shadow Man, grabbing herself in a desperate attempt to keep her composure together, but it was useless. The tears fell when she closed her eyes, streaming down her cheeks in silent cries.

He was alive. Tom was alive-Stuck in this game-All of them were stuck here, because of her-

She felt Julian approach her, but she couldn't jump away this time. He came up right against her back, touching but not touching, lips lingering just on the back of her neck. Her body relished in his lingering heat, wanting so badly to just sink back into his arms, to cry into his shoulder and allow him to hold her up-to sweep her off her feet and take her somewhere else-like before. But she couldn't-she _couldn't_-

Slowly, his arm came around her to grasp the hand that was clinging to her arm so tightly. He touched her wrist, and her wrist alone, in a move that was almost sentimental, his fingertips brushing her skin in a tickling manner. Jenny knew what it was, a silent plea for permission. She should've refused him, she knew, but all her thoughts were melting in her mind, common sense and reasoning all jumbled up like crazy. So she dropped her left hand, allowing him to take it with both hands. He didn't try and turn her around like Jenny thought-like she feared. Instead he covered her wrists for a moment, clasping it between his hands similar to how he always healed her wounds, until something ticklish pinched her skin. It was odd, the way he held her hand there for a moment longer, thumb brushing over her wrist bone in a soothing rhythm, until-

Jenny actually had to cover her mouth with her other hand to stifle the sob. Julian had released her hand, revealing the colorful elastic bead bracelet on her wrist. The same one she had given to him all those years ago, when she opened the door, when they first met face to face, so he wouldn't forget her-

She looked away from it, tried her hardest to pretend it wasn't there on her wrist, which of course, failed. Especially when Julian then ran his fingers down her palm until her fingers intertwined with his. Was it possible for him to be any closer to her without actually touching her? It definitely felt like it. It felt as though he had invaded her somehow, coming not just in her space but her mind, her thoughts, her heart-Oh, yes he definitely had a hold on that.

His other hand came up over her right shoulder to lean against the wall, trapping her completely in his embrace without actually being in it, and somehow that hurt. When he spoke, it was the softest Jenny ever heard it, softer than velvet, whispered so gently behind her ear.

"I would have done anything to have kept you with me that day. You don't know how hard I fought. The games I pulled to-I couldn't-" He paused after cutting himself off, and Jenny felt his irritation in the way he squeezed her hand a bit tighter. "But I never left you, my Jenny. I never let anything hurt you. I watched over you, over everything you did."

Ow.

Jenny actually felt her heart throb to the point of pain, as if it had been constricted within her chest, aching. She took his words in, imagined him watching her from the shadows, believing him-What he had _seen_….

She stayed where she was, trapped between him and the wall, and forced her voice to come back. "If you were there, th-then why didn't you-"

"You know how the runes are, love," he answered before she could even get the question out, and it was still soft, hushed. He moved closer, just enough, to whisper in her ear, "As cruel as death. As cruel as love."

Love.

Jenny turned now, pulling out of his grip surprisingly easy. Julian let her, watched her as she faced him, chest heaving from her cries. "If you saw everything," she said carefully, "then you saw Tom."

Julian's bottom lip quirked slightly.

"If you saw him-If you were watching me, then why didn't you do anything? Why did you just _watch_-Why didn't you stop me from falling in love with him?"

To Jenny's painful shock, Julian didn't answer her. He didn't _have _to. With the way he merely took a step away from her, mouth turned down, face slack-the way those cobalt blue eyes seemed to lose their depth, becoming so shallow, so _lost_; Jenny knew the reason why Julian didn't interfere was only because he couldn't-wasn't allowed.

And that realization struck like a wrecking ball to her lungs, breaking a sob from her once more. "Why," she gasped, "why did it turn out like this? Y-You-You didn't have to do this. You didn't have to win me over again-or-or prove anything. You could have just got me in the game-returned my memories-You didn't have to _hurt _them." With that last realization, Jenny felt the pain fade-replaced by her strength once more. "You didn't have to make them play. You didn't have to bring them into this-This is about _us_. I didn't ask you to-to torture them for my memories back-I didn't ask for this."

For a moment longer, Julian stood there, away from her. When he finally did return her gaze, it was like staring into the depths of the harshest fire-two blue flames burning tensely at her. "As I recall," he answered in a very taut tone, "you begged me to-"

"I didn't ask for _this_," Jenny clarified, strictly, her voice coming back to her. "This game-I didn't want THIS. "

"Of course you didn't. Love doesn't exactly ask permission does it?"

There was something about that-something so _raw_, combined with the way Julian's face fell after speaking it, that made Jenny feel entirely hollowed out. And it was in that moment that the realization came into those cobalt eyes, dousing the flames in them, that Jenny recognized that look of pain on his face-Just for a second, she saw it, before he turned away from her again. It was the same face he made four years ago, when she was forced away from him.

She didn't understand when he turned away from her, the tension in his muscles of his back shown through the tight black shirt. His voice was very level, steady yet quiet, when he spoke again. "You still don't understand. What I am, Jenny. I've told you. _Countless _times…."

Jenny was waiting for him to continue, to explain, but he didn't. He merely moved away from her, stopped by the end of her bed. The image was oddly comfortable to Jenny's mind. She was used to seeing Julian with exotic backgrounds-other worldly surroundings that he fit in so well. To see him here, in the replica of her room, was both disconcerting and sincere-sending Jenny back to the very first moment she saw Julian, in the appearance of a teenager, similar to the closet he stood parallel to now.

"It's always a game," he eventually said, and it came out different, oddly. Like it was a fact he was discovering aloud. "Always. There are rules, but I never _showed _you. You never saw passed the games-the fun. You never saw the _blood_, or the pain that I could produce from my thoughts alone-I had to get to you somehow-Every time. I didn't care what it took, or what the others said. I had to _have _you. So yes-" he turned on her then and his face was harder, lines firmer in his face, but his eyes were still so light, like sapphires. "I played a game. I hurt them. I used your friends to get you to remember me because I would _kill _everything in existence to have you to myself. _That's_ what I am, Jenny. That's what I do-Cold, cruel games."

Jenny didn't know how to feel about that. She didn't know how to feel about anything anymore. If anything, she was just tired now. Tired of the confusion, of the anger, of the memories and the games and the tears-

"So," she heard herself mumble, "then everything we did were just games?"

Julian didn't miss a beat. He was back in front of her instantly, but the move was gentle somehow-The way he stood over her wasn't intimidating. The way he looked down at her wasn't as fierce as it should have been.

His response was quick, hushed. "Did it feel like _just _games to you?"

Jenny knew he wasn't expecting an answer, so she dropped her gaze in silence.

Nothing more was said. For once, the silence settled between them like it was nothing, as if a simple wooden door stood between them once more, allowing things to be said, moments shared, with no words at all. It wasn't like any of the moments they shared before. No, moments as quiet as this had never been like this-They were always somewhere exotic-comfortable pauses when they met each other's gazes, beautiful moments of frozen time where it was just the two of them in all the nine worlds….

Pushing away those memories now made Jenny realize was still crying. Now that Julian was closer and merely watching her was weakening. She crossed her arms, hoping the tears would stop on their own just as they had started.

Yet in the silence, the hand slowly rose up and hovered by her chin. Julian reached for her, not touching her, but lifting his hand under her chin, easing her into raising it, returning his gaze once more. But he wasn't looking at her anymore. Although that impossible blue was piercing right through her cypress green, he was seeing something beyond Jenny, a part of her she never knew existed, something no one else had ever seen before.  
She didn't move when he brought his hand closer, asking permission without words, without looks. Jenny allowed him to touch her. Although she wouldn't admit it allowed, she missed his touch, and right now in this painful silence, she wanted it. She wanted it to go back to the way it was, before she remembered-no, before she was taken from him, back when he would come and go comfortably, to take her away and give her something so rare and beautiful, and coax her to using a rune, and tell her he loved her-

But Jenny already knew that wasn't going to happen. As much as she wanted it, this moment was different. The atmosphere was different. The tone between them, the silence in the air. Hell, even Julian's face-_Julian_ was different-

It was a gentle touch, his palm caressing her cheek softly, as if he applied any pressure at all that she would break under his fingers. His thumb glided over her cheekbone, wiping away the few tears that continued to fall. He was staring at them, at the swollen redness of her eyes, how they alone rocked something inside him like a storm, foreign and uncontrollable. 

"You were also crying...the very first time I saw you." It came out so quietly that Jenny barely heard it, but he was so close she could hear-no, **feel **the unsteadiness of his breathing.

Immediately, she thought of her bedroom, back at her grandfather's house, where she first heard Julian. Sitting on that bed crying out of fear, remembering it so clearly made something deep inside Jenny start to stir.

But Julian continued, muttering, as if to himself, "You were so frightened ...and yet you still came up to us."

The confusion waved over Jenny even harder once he released her. His eyes then draped down her, taking all of her in slowly, like he was seeing her for the first time all over again, stopping at her hands. It was then that Jenny realized that Julian _was_ talking to himself, a part of him completely forgotten that the real Jenny was standing right there, listening to it all. He reached for her hands, which were still crossed, and Jenny gave them to him without hesitation. She wouldn't realize until later that this was when she had stopped crying.

Even though Jenny's hands were extended, palms up as if waiting for something, Julian didn't exactly touch them. In fact, he pulled away from as if...as if **afraid** to touch her.  
"You were so beautiful. Pushing on that door. I wanted you. I wanted you _so_ badly I...I tried to grab you. But…"

He then reached for her, turning her hands up like they were flat on the door twelve years ago. He barely touched hers, matching their position, palm to palm, but it was only by the faintest brush of skin that Jenny felt them.

It was like a bolt of electricity hit Jenny then. At the thought, the vision of her tiny hands against the door and Julian on the other side, reaching for her as they did now. This exact moment only years ago, deja vu sickening the air, only that as he touched her, the pain shot up her arms. What she had mistaken for ice 12 years ago had been Julian, trying to take without permission, cutting her open immediately, in a split second.

Realizing it now made heat race up Jenny's hands, through old scars, and she jumped away.

The moment broke then, whatever spell had been over them to last that long, exposed for so long, shattered instantly. They were looking at each other again, and the look that settled on Julian's face was so foreign to Jenny, so unreal.

It took her a while to realize it was shock.

Yes, just like four years ago, when he looked at her like that-when he realized there was nothing he could have done to keep his Ancestors from taking her. For a man like him, a Shadow Man, to be so vulnerable, to have exposed something so deep from within him that even he did not understand, was something that knocked the world unbalanced. It was in that moment that Jenny understood, that she believed with everything in her that Julian hadn't meant to hurt her that day. And the regret she saw in his eyes was very much close to fear.

She was reaching for him before she knew what she was doing, but Julian jerked back the second he realized it. Jenny blinked-she hadn't even taken a breath-and Julian was gone. 

-…..

Jenny had only seen him once when she was eight years old. He had called her into another realm, one so peaceful and beautiful with magic in the leaves and the air. They sat near a small stream, the water flowing gracefully over rocks, where Jenny was enjoying herself as she used the rune _Isa_ to freeze the water, then unthaw it with _Kenaz_, over and over again.

"I don't understand how you do it." Julian had said after a while, his voice blending with the elemental sound of the water. He still had the appearance of a teenager in Jenny's eyes, a bit older than before. He sat on the other side of the stream from her, resting an arm against his knee as he watched Jenny's delicate fingers play in the water.

Skeptically, she raised an eyebrow at him. "_You _taught me how to do this, you know."

"Not that."

"Then what? _Isa_."

Julian waited once more until the water crystallized and hardened in place, creating a smooth sheen of ice between them. "How you humans confide yourself in a box for three-quarters of your life time," he clarified.

Jenny finally sat up from laying on her stomach, and knelt at the streams edge. "What do you mean?"

Julian shrugged as a small bird came flying between them, making Jenny's bright green eyes follow it with wonder. "You're _born_ in a room, raised in a room, fed in a room, wed, bed, and finally die in a room. It's the first place you wake up and the last place you are when you sleep. It's bewildering."

Jenny was used to these questions. She merely shrugged her shoulders and ran a bloody finger across the ice, smearing the red into a faint auburn-brown. "I like my room."

"Can you explore the plains of the Fay Realm from your room?" Jenny, of course, didn't answer the obvious question. She only gave him a sigh. "There's so much out there in the world, love. Still so many places I haven't shown you."

The bird swooped by once more, too close for Julian's liking, making him tilt his head out of the way. Jenny watched it, her eyebrows pinched together in confusion. "Yeah, but… It's _home_. It's nice to have a place to come back to." Jenny smiled, then, happy with what she was saying. "That's what makes those other places so great!"

She giggled, but Julian didn't seem too happy with his answer. Something dark, intangible crossed his face, making him sneer and look away. Little Jenny hadn't taken notice at the time, since the Shadow Man clearly saw and reacted differently to things she did, like polar opposites, as shown by his mood swings.

But then the bird swooped by once more, again by Julian's head. It perked his agitation to its full extent. All it took was a simple flick of his wrist, striking such a harsh power right over the small creature. There was a terrible screech and the bird plopped limp in the grass beside him. Jenny immediately cried out. "Don't do that!" She dove onto the iced-over stream, cupping the tiny bird in her hands. "Oh, poor birdie…"

Julian didn't understand. Death was natural to him. It was either quick and painless, or long and cruel. The creature was thankful that he spared mercy and killed it so quickly. But Jenny didn't. It was shown in the sympathy in her emerald green eyes, her pouting lower lip. She was even petting the dead animal, stroking its feathers in comfort-

The next thing Julian knew, his hands were cupped over hers, covering the bird in her hands. It just took a thought, some magic, then Julian released her hands where the bird took off in flight, alive and healthy. Jenny's face had lit up with a gasp as she watched the bird flew out of sight. Julian didn't understand-He couldn't even figure out how he done such a thing, to _give_ life instead of taking it, nevertheless _why_ he did it. But it was the look on her face, so bright, so relieved for the life of something so useless….

He hadn't taken Jenny's thank you. He hadn't accepted her humble smile and shining respect in her eyes-He had merely mumbled, "_Kenaz_," melting the ice under her, and dropping her into the water before she could catch herself. With her whining and pouting from being so soaked and how he could be so mean to her, Julian was able to swallow the mistake, and laugh again.

Now Jenny understood why.

Shadow Men were cruel. They didn't praise humans. They didn't please them, give them gifts, cross the dimensions just to brush the dirt from their scraped knees. No, they _killed_ humans, tortured them for centuries, never truly letting them die. They frightened them relentlessly, took what they wanted, played dirty to have a thrill.

Julian…. was different. At least to Jenny. None of it had really been such a big deal as kids, but now…. Now Jenny understood. Just how _badly_ he needed her. How _cruel_ he could've been to get her back. How much worse all of this could've been. For her…

So when he disappeared on her, leaving her stranded in the replica of her room, for a long moment she could only stand there. She had to close her eyes, clutch her scarred hand tight to her chest, just _feeling_. She wasn't angry anymore. She wasn't hurt anymore. Now she was just…. stuck. What he must've gone through to be kind, what he was _dealing_ with after revealing such a weakness. Jenny didn't know what to do. She had known he was evil. She had always known he wasn't human, wasn't supposed to be her friend.

But he wasn't her friend now, was he? No, a friend didn't make your heart feel as though it had been carved out from your chest. A friend didn't make you feel like you were walking on air, unable to breathe; feel so enlightened and excited and enthralled-

Jenny knew he was more than that, but then again, so was Tom. Oh, but Tom had nothing to do with this. Tom didn't deserve to be in the middle of this. He didn't deserve to be locked up in the shadows somewhere, being put through God-knows what because of her.

That's what made Jenny open her eyes. This wasn't a nightmare, not a terrible misunderstanding she could fix with a smile. No, this was the consequence of mixing Dark Sorcery with love. You can't hit the "undo" button with runes. And sitting there, crying about it, was useless. Especially when this game had a time limit.

Angry or not; hurt or not, Jenny had to finish the game. The ending didn't matter now, so long as her friends got home. _All _of her friends.

So Jenny dried her eyes. She fixed her skirt, a little of her hair, then approached the closet door once more, and opened it. She was honestly a bit surprised that it led back to the same place Jenny was just in-A manifest of shadows pretending to be a room. She waited a minute, to see if it would change. When it didn't, she ventured inside.

It was just like before. No sounds. No lights. Just space and darkness. Jenny didn't know how long she was walking in it for before she finally heard something. Just a small noise, like the scuff of a shoe on cement, but loud enough to echo her way. She turned on the noise, only there was nothing there. It actually seemed a bit darker, now that Jenny was squinting, trying to deceive what was behind the shadows. She knew something was there. She knew Julian was there, somehow, watching her, controlling everything in the room. She wasn't expecting him to return so quickly. She was expecting a light to come on somewhere, or a door perhaps. Something to lead her back to her friends, to the game.

Unless Julian was waiting for her to make the move. If that was the case, Jenny could use _Kenaz, _in order to see, but without something to carve the rune on, it was useless. Thus, Jenny kept moving, kept searching.

The next time she heard the noise, she turned and saw someone.

Just a figure, an outline of a person, but the second Jenny moved toward it, the shadows swallowed it. Oh, it was so hard to distinguish anything now. Her eyes couldn't tell how far she was looking or even _where_. She found herself doing circles, or what she could only guess as circles, trying to distinguish something-anything.

She saw the figure again, still for just a moment, before it vanished once more. Jenny was beginning to get irritated. This new game, whatever it was, would not make her lose. Not anymore.

Just when Jenny was considering what rune to use to break this stupid charade, something moved in the corner of her eye. The figure was there-No, a man, perfectly clear was in the distance, too far to see detail. But he didn't fade, didn't blend with the shadows. In fact, he ran by the shadows, around them, constantly.

He was moving at an angle that came parallel to Jenny, making her turn to follow. Then she had to pick up speed, to try and make out who it was. Of course there was the possibility of it being another hallucination, and Jenny took in the consideration that when she got close enough to see it, it could very well disappear on her again. Yet, Jenny was following it anyway, ready to snap a rune if this task ended up being just another trick.

But Jenny did get closer to the running man, and he didn't fade. In fact, he got clearer, more defined-_real. _When Jenny finally saw the shaggy blonde hair, recognized the beaky nose, all the breath left her lungs.

"Zach!"

He didn't hear her, didn't stop running. He was sprinting so far, so fast. Jenny immediately took off after him in a much more determined sprint, terrified to lose him.

"Zach! Zach, stop-It's me!"

It took a minute of chasing and screaming before he finally heard her. His head turned frantically in her direction, wild gray eyes catching onto her for just a moment, before he tripped. Jenny watched him hit the ground that didn't exist, and slide to a painful stop. But he was getting back up, anxiously, rushed. He wasn't going to stop running, Jenny realized.

She finally caught up to him when he kept tripping, couldn't get his footing to get back up. "Zach-Zach, stop. It's me! It's ok!" she said quickly as she knelt in front of him. She had to grab his arms when he tried to run off again, and she noticed he was dressed as she had last seen him, swimming shorts and old tank top, with his camera still hanging around his neck.

He tried to fight her, though, still tried to get up. "No," he was mumbling. "No, no, we have to go."

"Just slow down," Jenny was trying to calm him, standing tall on her knees with him to keep his attention. "I'll explain everything, ok? So just-"

"No!" He shouted this, finally meeting her gaze, and Jenny saw something she had never seen in her cousin's eyes before. A spark of fear, of uncontrollable, _horrible_ fear. "No-No, I heard it. We need to go. Please."

"Heard what?" Jenny asked, but her cousin's gaze only moved passed her-_behind _her.

Jenny turned and saw it. A man-No, the figure of a man, the one Jenny had seen before, standing far enough in the distance that he held no details; just a tall shape of darkness. He wasn't moving at all, but his image alone was enough to make Zach yank himself out of Jenny's grip. He jumped back to his feet successfully this time, leaving Jenny on the ground.

"Zach, damn it!" She chased him again, but she was losing him. Every time she glanced back at the figure of a man behind them, he was the same distance apart, if not closer. And Zach was getting farther and farther away. The fear of losing her cousin, of losing this round, was enough to spark the strength in Jenny to do something _risky_.

"_Dagaz_!"

The rune worked, flashing something in the darkness. Her cousin hit the ground _hard_, giving Jenny just enough time to reach him before he could run off again. She snatched him by the arm, saw the confusion and fear on his face.

"Zach, listen to me. _Please_. This is my fault. Ok? This is just a trick. It's not real."

But he was shaking his head, not looking at her, refusing to even let the words come to him. He was continuously pulling away, eyes closed, mumbling over and over, "No, no, no, no, no."

"Zach!" Jenny all but screamed it in his face, and physically forced his eyes to meet him. She challenged the utter panic she saw in his eyes, did her best to get passed it-to the boy she knew. "Stop it! This is just a trick. Listen to me!"

He stopped this time, eyes searching her face desperately for just a moment before they moved over her shoulder again. This time, they widened upon what they saw.

The figure was closer. A lot closer. But Jenny didn't let Zach run this time. She held onto his arms, turned him so he wasn't looking at it, but at her. She spoke sternly, leveled. "Look, whatever it is, it's not real. This is your worst fear. Like a nightmare. Ok? You just need to face it and-"

"I can't!" he snapped while constantly glancing over at the shape beside them, that matched the shadows perfectly and yet stood out too well. "I can't do it-I never can. He's there, an-and I know, but I can't-"

Oh it was harsh. It was physically difficult to watch her cousin bow his head, how he grimaced as if in pain, unable to see passed it. He was frightened; frightened beyond what was capable. He was always so quiet, so calm, but not now. He was frantic, panicked, out of control. Zach had _no control_.

Was that his fear? Who was the figure? How was he supposed to beat his fear if he couldn't even look at it?

Jenny didn't give up. As much as the fear crept up on her at the sight of her cousin breaking down, she didn't let herself feel broken. She looked to the figure, saw the stillness of its shape, how silent it was. Of course it was just another piece of the game. Jenny's first thought was to use another rune, perhaps, to make it go away, but that wouldn't work. This was Zach's fear. She had to dispel it in his mind, make him believe it, or they would lose. And Jenny _wasn't _losing.

So she got her cousin's attention. She gently grabbed his face with both hands, and spoke gently, repeating herself until she saw the confirmation in his eyes. "I'm going to prove it. Ok? Just trust me. Please, do you trust me? I'll prove it. Just watch."

When she let him go, tuned in the direction of the figure, Zach was the one to pull her back. "No, don't!"

"It'll be ok, I promise," Jenny eased the words to him, and pried herself away. "Don't run, ok? Promise me you won't run. Just watch. Look."

She moved carefully, heading in what looked like the shape's direction. She had no idea if it would disappear or change or _move_-But it didn't. It stayed in place, perfectly still, as Jenny eased herself closer. Her cousin had gone silent, and Jenny had to glance back to make sure he was still there. He was, standing just as stiff as the figure, with his eyes glued upon her every step.

"Just watch me, ok? I promise, it's not real." She said this, once, twice, while she approached the figure. However, the closer she got to it, the clearer it became. Slowly, like a dim light increasing until it was almost clear. First Jenny could tell it was a man's shape, very lean and tall. Its hair was shaggy, and light. It was wearing stone-washed jeans, and a familiar red plaid shirt-

Jenny was just steps from the "man" when she realized it looked exactly like Zach. Only this copy had no face, just a flat slate of skin. And it was in that same moment that the "man" pounced at her.

It tackled her too fast for Jenny to even scream. It had her pinned, with impossible strength, sitting on her chest with enough weight to choke. Then it had its hands on her neck, _squeezing_-

Jenny tried to pull its hands off, but it was too strong-Muscles she had seen every day and never took into consideration. She tried to thrash, but her legs couldn't reach it. Her hitting did nothing. She couldn't reach passed its collar, to its face-Not his face, but empty like his. Plain, numb, and _painful_.

She felt her lungs constricting upon themselves, creating a steady burn that was quickly increasing from the bottom of her lungs, to her throat, to her mind. She saw the shadows behind this creation, how they were beginning to stretch over her vision. She was passing out-No, _dying_-

Then there was a terrible jerk and the "man" toppled off her. Jenny sucked in air so fast that she coughed, rolled over to sit up and relieve her lungs. She was dizzy. She needed a second to catch up-But there wasn't any time. Beside her, Zach-the _real_ Zach-was wrestling with his doppelganger. There was no punches or kicks or fighting of any sort. It was a battle for dominance, strength being tested as Zach was pushed up and down and around and _pinned_-

Jenny jumped up and onto the "man's" back without thinking, wrapping her arms around its neck and pulling; but Zach gave a shout, then the blow to her ribs knocked her back onto the floor.

Seeing her fall to the ground must've struck something in Zach because then he was screaming, and the copy of himself was pushed off. Zach was on top of it then, wrapping his hands around his copy's throat just as it had done to Jenny. The look on her cousin's face as he squeezed, the horribly _angry _look in his eyes-

"No!" Jenny grabbed him this time, desperately pulling at his arms, to release the copy that had gone still underneath, not even fighting back. "No, Zach, stop! Don't kill yourself!"

But Zach wasn't budging. He remained there, squeezing, glaring, panting. He wasn't here. He was in the copy of himself, seeing all the things he loathed, all the things he feared about himself. Jenny understood it so easily, and it terrified her almost to the point of tears.

"Zach, _please_," her voice broke on the plea, and still he kept squeezing.

It was the swinging of his camera around his neck that gave Jenny the idea. She grabbed it from over Zach's shoulder and harshly smacked it up, into Zach's face. It worked. Zach flinched, releasing the "man's" throat to grab his own face. Jenny tugged him as hard as she could then, yanking him to the ground with her.

The copy was above them immediately, back on its feet. They didn't have time to get back up. Both Jenny and her cousin were forced to scramble backwards on the floor, quickly, in order to get away. The shadows behind the copy seemed to darken, increasing the anxiety in the air, the fear about this situation-this _game_.

Right, the loophole. They needed to find the loophole, or else this wasn't going to end unless one of them died. So Jenny looked about them, _frantically_, searching for something, anything, but there was nothing; Nothing but shadows and space and themselves. They had nothing, except Zach's camera.

Jenny almost gasped. She grabbed her cousin, stilling him on the ground. He tucked his head away, no longer looking at his copy or his cousin, but Jenny explained anyway, quickly. "Zach, your camera! You have to use it-Take its-**Zach**! Look at me!"

But the copy was still advancing on them, still menacingly silent and tall and slow.

Jenny grabbed his camera and shoved it in his face again so fast that she almost hit him with it again. "Your camera Zach! If you take a picture of it, it's real, right? That's what you always said, right? _Right_?" He was looking at the camera now, but he still said nothing.

The "man" was closer now, only a few steps away. Jenny was gaping at it, unable to think of a way to distract it. "You have to take a picture of it," she said as the "man" officially stopped beside them, making Jenny lean away. "Prove it's not real, Zach."

When she looked back to her cousin, he was looking at her now. Then the "man" was beside them, officially stepping in their space, making both cousins flinch. They scramble to their feet, holding onto each other's arms with the camera between them. Zach was walking backwards, away, but Jenny had to hold him there, saying, "No, Zach, you _have _to-"

"I _can't_."

"Yes, you can! Do it now. That's not you. _Prove _it!"

She put the camera in his hands, held it up to his face. He wouldn't look at it at first, but Jenny didn't stop, kept coaxing him to. If he didn't-If they just let this go on, then Zach would lose-He'd be stuck in this game-to Julian-Because of Jenny.

Maybe something she said finally got to him, or perhaps it was the fact that the "man" had stopped walking, and was merely there, parallel to them, like some sickening image, but Zach finally lifted the camera. He put his finger on the trigger, looked through the viewfinder, _saw_ him-

"No, Zach, take it," Jenny argued once more when he lowered the camera. "I'm right here, I swear. It'll be ok. You have to believe it's not real. Please…"

She was watching him, no longer looking at the copy of her cousin. She knew it wasn't real-It _couldn't_ be. Her cousin wasn't like that; no matter what he thought. She had to prove that to him-No, he had to prove it to himself.

That's why Jenny held onto her cousin, had her arms around him even though he wasn't one for hugs. She watched him, desperately, as he slowly lifted the camera back up, aimed it and-

The flash was blinding. A bit of whiteness in the dark, so quick it easily could have been missed. It stung their eyes for a minute, causing Jenny to blink through the confusion. When she finally looked back to the "man," he was gone.

The relief was short-lived, because Jenny looked to her cousin, who was looking down at the camera in his hands with a look that was so…lost, almost hurt. He wasn't saying anything, wasn't panicking or angry or sad anymore. He was quiet, staring at his pictures, like the cousin Jenny knew well. Only he wasn't. Jenny didn't know her cousin at all. If his fear was himself, what he feared he would do then Jenny knew _nothing _that went on inside her cousin's mind.

Thus, she said nothing when she gently reached for the camera in his hands. He startled upon her touch, as if he'd forgotten she was still there, still holding him against her. His surprise died quickly though, and he allowed her to take the camera from his numb hands. The picture he had taken, of all the things Jenny feared would be there, was nothing but a wall.

A blank wall, made of stone, like all of the other rooms in this "House of Anubis." Seeing it seemed to settle something in the air, like an unasked question had been answered. Jenny looked to her cousin who was gazing at the camera, his gray eyes so forlorn. It wasn't until Jenny saw something move behind her cousin that she realized their room was changing. No, revealing. Lights came on from above, torches on the walls, that slowly replaced the shadows with light, giving this black plane of space some density. Four walls, a floor, and a very tall ceiling, just like all the room before, with strange markings and hieroglyphics and _runes_.

The game.

Jenny saw the door across from them, and her blood spiked with adrenaline, to find the rest of her friends, to be reunited once and for all. She actually moved passed her cousin, saying, "Oh, finally. Zach, let's go. We-"

Zach didn't follow her. He was still standing there, lost in his thoughts-his mind. Jenny saw it, in the normal way he just stood there in the background, silent, agreeing, and the fear of that realization worried her. How long had he felt this way? How long had he feared himself-feared losing control? How long had this fear of hurting people been building up-

Did he fear…hurting _her_? She was the closest to him, after all.

"Zach…"

He looked up when she called him, a bit of understanding coming into his gray eyes. He seemed to look for something in her, not her eyes but just her presence, her reality. Then he glanced at his camera once more before he turned it off, let it hang limp around his neck. Jenny wasn't too sure what to say. What could she say? What words could calm his fears-to make everything ok after something like that? Even if such words existed, Jenny didn't know them. Thus, she simply walked back up to him, put a hand on his shoulder, like she always did.

She waited until he returned her gaze before she said, "Hey. You did it."

He didn't respond to that. He merely dropped his gaze, gave her a small nod.

Oh, Jenny wanted to make everything ok, to comfort him, but she knew they didn't have time. She moved her hand from his shoulder to his hand, gently coaxing him into walking with her. "This is all going to sound crazy, ok?" she said lightly, "But you're going to have to trust me…"

**Hey guys! I hope you are all enjoying the new year!**

**This felt like an odd place to leave off, but I wanted to prepare you guys for the next chapter because it will most likely be the last D: I'm sorry! I actually hate when these fanfics end because they are just so much fun to write. But I hate keeping you guys waiting for so long, so please forgive me DX I tried to catch any mistakes so if there are still some, I highly apologize.**

**I do appreciate any criticism or advice about my writing or the plot so if you feel the need to leave some, please do. I'll try and fix them if they're too bad.**

**Anyway, let me know what you think! Again I apologize x100000000 times Dx **

**Until my next update!**

**ZVA**


	6. Chapter 6

Explaining to Zach was simpler than it should have been.

Jenny seemed to summarize everything the best she could, including her relationship with Julian before and now and Tom and everything in-between. Zach seemed to listen, then nod and accept it. No questions. No complaints. Jenny really wished she could elaborate more, to check in with her cousin after defeating his nightmare-himself-but that was going to have to wait.

Jenny explained as they rushed down the long stone corridor, keeping her eyes peeled for any traps or hidden doors like before. By the time she finished, they came to a divide, where the path went either straight, left or right, just like all the times before. Only they could see down them this time. The path that led to the left, dropped off into another pit of spikes, and the path to the right was clearly blocked off by a pit of those beetles. Straight ahead was nothing but shadows.

"Should we split up?" Zach asked.

"No," Jenny answered. "There's no point. He wants us to go this way."

Jenny started walking before Zach could reply. He followed anyway, asking, "How do you know?"

"Because it's the only one we can't see where it goes."

Walking down this corridor quickly became unnerving. The torches didn't light up when they stepped into the darkness. In fact, they walked right into the shadows until they were completely consumed. It was so dark-too dark. Jenny couldn't see her hand in front of her face anymore. Thus she reached back and snagged Zach by the wrist, not letting him go as they continued to walk. She wasn't going to stop. She wasn't going to let Julian scare her.

Thus she kept going, kept leading her silent cousin into the darkness with her other hand guiding them on the wall. She had to push away the thoughts of traps now, or the wild idea that anything could pop out at them even from the walls. They just needed to keep walking.

Soon the sound of their footsteps faded away. The slight sound of air between stone, their own breathing-All noises seemed to fade until they were once again in vast empty space of blackness. Jenny knew it the moment the wall slipped from her fingers, gone like they were supposed to turn a corner. So she stopped, kept her grip on her cousin's hand so he stopped, too. It was there, feeling Zach's grip tighten on her hand that made her realize she wasn't the one Julian was trying to scare.

She snapped, "_Kenaz!_"

Surprisingly, it worked. Light suddenly filled the air, revealing them in yet another massive room of stone, done so by a dozen torches on the wall. But this room was different. The stone was different, smoother, and cleaner almost like marble. It was brighter, too, making Jenny flinch upon suddenly being able to see. There were no Egyptian markings or statues or hieroglyphics. It was simply a room.

And across from them, standing in a circle, were her friends.

Jenny knew it wasn't a trick by the way they all flinched at the bright lights like she did. Dee was the first to see them, but it was Summer who shouted, "Jenny!"

They all met in the middle, a tangle of hugs and questions and smiles. Michael was still injured, but he did have just a bit more color in his face. Zach was the one who remained silent, although he didn't deny a single hug. Jenny was relieved, she really was, but she wasn't basking in the reunion. No, she was looking around, for the next part-the trick.

There were no doors. Not even a single crack. It was one empty box. Which meant they just had to wait for Julian's move.

Jenny didn't want to wait. All the rounds were completed. What were they supposed to wait for?

Dee was the one to turn Jenny's gaze away from the room with a hand on her shoulder. "Are you alright?"

Jenny didn't answer her. She didn't have to. "Are you?" She asked instead. "Did he hurt any of you-Michael How's your back, Michael?"

Audrey was still helping him up, but he was able to give her a wry smile. "Hungry."

They laughed at that.

"Zach, are you ok?" Summer was asking him, holding onto his arm like a child afraid of being separated.

Zach gave her a nod. "Jenny found me."

"Did you have to see your nightmare, too?"

Jenny watched the reaction in Zach's face, the grimace of an actual physical pain to which she quickly saved him from. "We'll talk about everything after," she said quickly. "We're going home."

"Oh I don't think so."

Summer let out a surprised shriek from the sudden voice.

They all turned where Julian stood parallel to them a good distance away in this massive room. Only, it wasn't his presence that Summer screamed at. It was the two horrifying creatures that sat on either side of him.

One was designed like a wolf, enormous in size even though it was hunched low. It's eyes were as black as its body, soulless-No, it wasn't a body. It couldn't be. It was like a trick of the eye, not there and yet it was. It's figure was wavering, like smoke in the heat, like a smudged 3D painting of some sort. It's fur was constantly whisping off of its body, as if it was fading into the light-

It was made of shadows; they realized with a horrible, other-worldly fear. The second one was the same, only manifested in the shape of a snake. It was twice the size of the wolf, coiled up by the Shadow Man's side. It's eyes were as red as blood, bright and unyielding. It's head, like the wolf's, was massive, equal in size to a small car, easily capable of swallowing any of them whole-even all of them at once.

The reaction was immediate in her friends, how quickly they all banded together. Dee was the one to stand in front, with Jenny just behind her. Summer inevitably clung to Jenny's waist, face buried in her chest, away from the monsters. Audrey and Micheal were side by side, while Zach stood as still as death in the back.

Jenny didn't remember these creatures, but she immediately knew what they were. Pawns. The things that you see in the corner of your eye when you're scared. The noises you hear when you think you're alone. Julian talked about them before. He could create anything he wanted from the shadows, anything that would scare a mortal man. They acted as his will, on their target's worse fear, just as he did.

It was seeing them now, at the end of the game, followed by the utterly pleased smile from Julian's face that made Jenny realized they weren't getting out of this game so easily.

Julian's smile was _vile_, as he looked at each one of them, relished in the fear in their hearts. Unlike half an hour ago when he was with Jenny, trembling-

"Don't worry," he said among the silence. "They only pounce when you run."

"Ha-Ha," Dee mocked loudly from the front. "We played your game. Now let us go."

"Oh, but you haven't won yet," Julian countered. Slowly, his hand reached up and stroked down the gigantic snout of the wolf beside him. "And my pets haven't had a turn with you."

"Ugly pets," Dee snapped back.

The snarl that ripped through the air was enough to make them all gasp. Julian laughed-nothing like the wholesome laughs he shared with her-a cruel, mocking laugh, and Jenny felt the anger come rushing back through her blood.

Julian had looked away, to watch his fingers coarse through the demon's faux fur beside him, as he began, "I hope you realize that-"

"Memories."

Julian stopped.

Everyone looked to Jenny, and the sheer strength in her voice alone, nevertheless the fact that she just interrupted the Shadow Man, was enough to put the whole room on edge. But Jenny was more than steady. She broke from Summer's frightened grip and took three confident steps toward the demon of tricks who was now looking at her a bit caught off guard. She didn't care about the pawns; she knew they weren't going to attack her.

"The riddle," she clarified quickly. "The answer is memories. _My _memories. Now give Tom back."

At first Julian could only watch her, to take in her sudden confrontation-in front of her friends-her attempt to _push _him like this-

He laughed. Not like before. It was very small, much like a surprised heave of breath, but somehow it held just enough mockery and _vileness _to return the chill in the air. "Of all the times to try and impress me-"

"Give him back. Now."

Jenny could feel the uneasiness of her friends behind her, but with it she knew there was strength. For them; she was doing this for them-For Tom.

Julian's gaze tightened on her, and he squared himself with her. With the shadows of this world as his background, he seemed to tower over her. Jenny knew his power; she knew he could end them all so easily, but he didn't-he hadn't. Even with the warning hiss of the snake behind her, which seemed to go passed all sound barriers, straight to their minds, Jenny didn't back down.

"You know that's not how this works, Jenny."

"You set this rule in place," she snapped. "Just like when I answered your question for more time. I solved your riddle. I want him back."

"_A life for a life." _He quoted it, darkly, and Jenny understood-She knew what he meant immediately. A life was only as valuable as another life, just as her Grandfather had traded himself for hers.

And what other life would Julian possibly take for Tom's?

Jenny knew what he was saying, the game he was playing, and that sparked a whole new level of fury inside Jenny that she didn't know she had.

And yet Julian wasn't smirking anymore.

No, his face had fallen, pliant, still but somehow disturbed. It was in his eyes, the sharpness they held, the message they were giving Jenny….

He was…_asking_, Jenny realized. Without words, he was asking her one more time, to come to him, to make the switch. Jenny's strength failed her then, at the horrible realization that he still wanted her more than anything-Enough to bargain-

"All right, that's it," Dee snapped from behind Jenny. She stormed up and snatched the blonde by the arm, dragging her back. "There's no way that's happening, you creep. How do we get out of here?"

Instantly, the cruelty was back in Julian's face now that he turned to her friends, like a switch, all compassion and sincerity in those azure eyes gone without a trace. "Is that so? I believe the question you should be asking yourselves is-"

The room jolted, as if the plates under their feet shifted a good twenty feet difference, jerking the whole lot of them around. The walls began to tremble, sand poured from the cracks. Soon chunks of the whole place started to come apart, to fall and shatter at their feet. In the distance, a loud gong struck numerous times-The timer.

"-_Can _you get out of here in time?"

Behind him, the wall had fallen apart, crumbling into a pile of rock and sand and dirt. Behind it, the only corridor left was quickly breaking-shattering-The exit was closing.

Her friends didn't wait. They ran, without thinking. Dee had pulled Jenny with her, but Jenny's feet caught on something-herself. She hesitated. She was still staring at Julian, at the hardness that was his expression now. She could end it-Right now with one word-

And yet she couldn't. No matter how hard she tried, the word wouldn't come out. With the collapsing of this world, this game, she was left with the only choice; to run with her friends. To stay with him, to give in was just, just impossible.

But of _all _the impossible things she's done before, with Julian-

It hurt but Jenny was stumbling backwards anyway, forcing her feet to move. Her friends were screaming at her. Chunks of the ceiling had begun to fall around them. Chaos was ensuing and yet Jenny was still in Julian's gaze, still stuck in his expression, in his question that she hasn't answered for twelve years.

So she mumbled it, so quietly among the destruction around them that she practically just mouthed the words. "_Stop me."_

She barely saw Julian's reaction, the widening of his bright blue eyes, the shock in his face, before she turned and ran.

Immediately the pounding steps of the beats were after her. Her friends had stopped in the middle of the hallway, scattered, screaming at her to catch up. Jenny jumped over the pile of rubble, shouting, "Go! Go!" They continued to run now; Audrey helping Michael, Summer running with Zach, and Dee hanging around just at the end for Jenny. Once side by side they ran as hard as they could.

It was so much worse in the corridor. The ground was splitting at their feet, leaving large gaping holes with barely enough time to jump over them. The walls would collapse in pieces randomly, bringing the ceiling with it in massive chunks of rocks. One fell too quickly for them all to avoid, leaving just the tiniest bit of space between it and the wall that hadn't collapsed yet.

Behind them, the Shadow Wolf and Snake were just on Jenny's heels.

"Climb!" Jenny yelled when she saw the four of her friends come to a halt in front of the boulder. Audrey and Zach had to practically haul Michael up and through the space. Summer fit through easily. Dee made a running leap, knowing they didn't have the time to climb, landing almost at the top. She stopped, however, and offered her hand to Jenny.

Jenny didn't jump. She started at the bottom like a child, climbing stupidly slow for being chased by two demon creatures. And sure enough, just when she was in reach of Dee's hand, the grip latched onto her ankle. She shrieked as it ripped her down the rock, and within the next second she was trapped on the floor with the ginormous coiled body of the snake above her. Jenny was helplessly staring at her shocked reflection in its blood red eyes, all until a rock came hurling into its face. Dee's foot immediately followed with a swift kick right into the creature's jaw. Then Jenny was up on the rocks, being shoved by Dee. The moment they slipped through, the wolf's massive jaws came snapping at the hole.

Jenny fell into a stumbling run just as Dee did, but the room was shaking harder here. Every step was among a tremor so hard that it threw them into the collapsing walls. Arrows began to fly from the walls, then needles like before. Jenny saw spikes and pits up ahead. Beetles began crawling from the cracks, but they were running anyway. None of them stopped, not even the four of her friends ahead of them were slowing down.

Jenny inevitably found herself constantly looking over her shoulder, causing her to trip and fall for a third time. Dee was relentless, yelling at her to keep going, dragging her along. Jenny wanted to stop. She even argued with Dee to just go on ahead, but Dee wasn't taking any of it. The warrior of a friend was forcing Jenny to move.

Then, just like out of a movie, one more chunk of wall fell ahead of them all and revealed a door. So simple and clear, out of the chaos. The way home.

But the relief was short lived. Because with another massive jerk of the ground that threw them all to the ground, the floor began to crack. A split in the floor just before the door erupted, then spread. The door and the chunk of stone it rested on started to separate from their hallway, creating a gap that was becoming too wide too fast.

At the same moment, a cacophony of sounds was heard. A noise to inhuman to be described. Like a storm that didn't sound right. It came from behind them, all around them. The shadows, from every crack, from every piece of destruction around them, began to form. Like a massive wave, it formed an endless pit behind them. A pit of blackness, impossible to see through, and with such an aura that it was obvious once something touch that darkness, it was never coming back.

And it was advancing on them incredibly fast.

The four of them at front reached the gap just in time. It was a short jump, thankfully for Michael, where Audrey immediately opened the door. The light was blinding. It consumed her and Michael in an instant. Zach pushed Summer through, but he stopped, waited.

Dee and Jenny were too far away. Dee shouted something at Jenny before she pumped her legs harder, throwing herself through the chaos, and launched herself. Dee flew through the air like one of the arrows around her. Her feet just barely made the edge, making her land on her stomach, legs hanging off the edge. But she fixed herself there on the edge, through the pain on landing on her wound, with Zach, reaching out for Jenny, waiting.

Jenny wasn't going to make it. She knew she wouldn't even if she did honestly attempt the jump with all of her ability. Julian was doing what she said to, what he had said he was going to do after all this time.

But Dee and Zach were in the doorway, waiting for her, _watching_ her, screaming at her to jump. So Jenny didn't slow down. No matter how much she wanted to, no matter how simple it would have been. Jenny let her feet carry her right off the edge, attempting such a pathetic jump. But the floor crumbled just as she did, killing her jump, dropping her in a heartbeat.

The fall was quick, instantly consumed by shadows, and oh was she ready to be consumed, for the game to be over.

That was, until she was stopped.

Grabbed by her hand, she smacked into the rock wall before her, halfway down the pit. Dee had her, leaned so far down the edge that Zach had her ankles. Oh it was reckless. Zach was barely holding on, bracing himself with his legs on the glowing doorway. Dee was basically upside down, holding onto Jenny's wrist with both hands.

But everything was collapsing around them, the final pieces. The stone they were one was beginning to fall apart. The darkness was rolling at them so fast that it sparked fear in their hearts.

"Just drop me!" Jenny shouted, "Go!"

"No way!" Dee screamed back.

She had to let go of Jenny with one hand to use the other to guide them up the wall. They should have fallen, truly, but Zach was able to pull Dee up. The darkness was closer. He snagged her by the waist. The darkness was there. Dee pulled Jenny up to the ledge, where Jenny then tried to let go. But Dee had her. Zach had Dee. Jenny was barely on her knees when Zach launched himself back through the doorway, dragging Dee with him.

Which dragged Jenny.

Jenny had turned, just as she had been pulled, just as the darkness was on them. She was there, literally on the line of light and darkness. Helplessly, she threw out her hand, without thinking, to the shadows, and she saw the tendrils reaching back, just like fingers of their own. She saw, she _felt, _Julian reaching for her, desperately, as she fell.

And he had her, Jenny felt it. That was until someone shouted.

"_Dagaz_!"

Jenny didn't know what happened next. The whole word seemed to flip upside down on her as she was hit with a lot of pressure. It came harsh and _cold_. It thrashed her around, destroying any sense of direction or light or life. It rushed through her ears, her hair, her blood, tossed her around like a rag doll until finally something hit her shoulder. She rolled now, slower, and it was until she tried to finally take a breath in that she realized she was in water.

She only choked for about half a second before the pressure sucked her back then launched her forward again. Jenny crashed within the wave, landing on the unforgiving shore like a gasping fish. Immediately she coughed up the salt water and sand as the wave tossed her ashore. The déjà vu of the sand scratching her throat gave her enough strength to sit up, to look for him.

She knew this beach. She knew that parking lot and snack shack off to the left.

Off to her right she found Dee and Zach, coughing just as bad as she was. There was already a crowd around Michael and Audrey, with someone calling 911, and a worried mother had Summer wrapped in a towel, already on the phone.

They…were home. Back at the original beach they were supposed to be for Summer's party in the first place. Only Tom wasn't here. Michael was still injured-They were all a wreck.

The dread set in so fast that it made Jenny sick. She tried to choke it down, but after 12 years it was just too much. Jenny let herself collapse there on the shore, burying her face in her hands. The sobs wrenched from her too painful to be stifled at the fact that this game was finally over.

…-

Tom Locke was missing.

His face was now plastered over every pole in town, on milk cartons, the newspaper. Multiple searches have been done at the beach they were founded at; the beach that they had "spent the day at for Summer's birthday and lost him during a game of chicken in the water." Hours had been spent at the police station over the past few days. Grilling them all on what happened. It was impossible to tell the truth. Summer said nothing at all. Zach gave pitiful answers. Dee cooperated the most. Michael was still in the hospital. His wounds were infected, leaving Audrey stuck at his bedside for most of the days. Meanwhile Jenny….

Jenny didn't know what to say.

The police believe they had been on some crazy drugs considering all their stories were different. In the end, no one is really sure what happened. Just that a beach party had gone wrong, and that a good kid was now missing.

Jenny could stand the police. She could even stand her own parents questioning her. It was Tom's parents that she couldn't stand. Answering their questions was the hardest of all because with every word she faked to them, the worse the guilt tore her apart inside.

For two days it went on like this, and every night Jenny dragged herself to her room, passed the judging and sentimental gaze of her parents, to collapse on her bed in a heap of emotions. Tonight she did just the same. Her parents tried to stop her, once again, but Jenny shut the door behind her without a word. Her room was empty, bare. It stared at her, echoed all the guilt and regret back to her, so she shut off the lights. She dropped onto her bed, burying herself under the covers as the darkness finally numbed everything.

It was all her fault. Tom was still God knows where. For all they knew, Julian could have killed him in a fit of rage at being unable to grab Jenny in time. And Jenny was stuck here, in this hellish nightmare, staring at the very same closet door that she used to visit the Shadow Man through.

Wait…

Slowly, Jenny crawled out of bed. She didn't turn on any lights-No, she felt better in the shadows. Besides she didn't need to see for this.

She approached the closet door and felt around the doorframe. It was so faint that no one would think twice about it, but Jenny did. She used her nail to scratch under the paint, doing so just by touch, until she could feel it clearer; the deep carving into the wood that someone must have painted over years ago.

The runes. She had carved them once when she was twelve, and ran straight to the Shadow Man's arms. But now…

Was he mad at her? Would he catch her if she went running through the shadows now? Oh, it was impossible to tell. And if even if she did, how to convince him to give Tom back, if he wasn't dead. But he hadn't killed him before, and he waited _years _for her…

Jenny didn't like it. It was too confusing, too much. She couldn't decide what was right anymore. She touched her forehead to the door in defeat. Her hands itched for the doorhandle, to open it and find him there-No, she belonged here. Her friends, her parents…

Jenny must've fallen asleep because then it was dark, shadows filling the room to the point where she couldn't see anything anymore. She was on the ground, now curled up against the door, leaning her head against the wood. Her mind was hazy, barely registering anything beyond this jump in time, and of course the second she awoke, to see nothing but the shadows she used to live in, only spurred the pain back to her. She choked out a sob in the dark, almost silently, and felt the heat of the tears sting against her cheeks. She sat there for a while longer, half-awake, crying in the dark.

Then she heard it. As quiet and whimsical as the first time.

"Please, don't cry."

Jenny didn't have it in her to gasp. In fact, the haze of sleep and the pain and the dark all blended the moment together as nothing but a dream. That's right. He couldn't get to her. She had left him, and she couldn't even talk to him, and now she was too weak to go back-

"Oh, my Jenny…"

He was so clear, as if whispering through the closet door all over again. Jenny _hated _it.

"Why," she mumbled between numb lips, so quietly. "Why did you…"

"I want you back," Julian's voice came to her. It was even clearer now, gentler, and somehow that only panged at the pain in Jenny's chest, rubbing it raw-exposed. She rolled her head back against the door-Or was that the sleep trying to drag her back under?

"I miss you," she admitted to the shadows.

"Come back to me, my Jenny."

Jenny tried to shake her head, but all that resulted was her chin hitting her chest, senses jolting it back up in an attempt to stay awake. "I can't," she mumbled after a minute.

He said something, but Jenny barely made it out now. "…the door…"

The door? Oh, the closet door. The one she was on. Right, she knew that. If she…opened it…with the runes…

The thought actually came to her of how simple it would be to just open the door and find him there like all the times before-to get her like he always promised, and a part of Jenny wanted to reach up behind her and open the door. But the shadows had already got to her, the haze of sleep pressing down on her too much, weighing down her limbs; she couldn't lift her arm…

"_Please_."

The gasp hit Jenny hard now, jerking her whole body forward as she snapped awake-only now she could see. The morning sunlight was pouring through her window, lighting up her whole room, erasing any possibility of-

Jenny was ripping open her closet door before she was even fully on her feet.

She didn't understand when she was met with the scattered clothes and accessories. Perfectly lit. Messy. Normal. It wasn't supposed to be normal. It was supposed to be dark, and endless and leading to somewhere between the dimensions-It wasn't _fair_.

No, it wasn't; she did understand. Julian had taught her. There were rules and laws. He couldn't get to her directly; he no longer had the right to that. It was taken from him-Getting it back was so complicated.

Unless….Unless Jenny took it back herself.

He couldn't get to her, but Jenny didn't have to follow their laws. She was the only one who could break them. Now that she remembered how, she could simply…walk through. If she carved the runes, if she ran in like before, would he be there to greet her? Would he catch her again-kiss away her tears again?

Jenny was unsure how long she stood like that for before her alarm went off. It shocked her at first, the high pitched blaring noise behind her. It wasn't until she shut it off that she remembered what it was for. Her, Summer and Audrey were going to go downtown and hang posters again; posters of Tom. Which they all knew was useless, but they had gotten the idea yesterday. It looked better than nothing.

Jenny had to tear herself away from her closet again. She was wearing herself out over these thoughts-these fears. She didn't want to think about it anymore. She got dressed and left the room without looking back.

…-

It was awkward when Audrey picked them up. Summer asked all the questions that no one wanted to answer; that this was actually pointless, how were they actually supposed to save Tom, if he was ok.

"Summer, please."

Audrey finally stopped downtown where they all took some of the posters that Audrey made and the tape Summer brought. They started on light poles and stop signs. Then they moved for stores and began asking the owners if they could hang it on their doors and windows. They did this for quite a while, getting through most of their posters, all without question or complaint.

It was after a couple hours that they ended up in a part of town Jenny didn't really recognize.

"Should we stop?" Jenny asked.

"No, this looks like a chain-mall. Well, a very pathetic one," Audrey sneered at the fading paint on the walls. "There's a lot of shops here."

"I'm gonna ask this one!" Summer said a bit too cheerfully, before she ran inside.

Jenny was examining the chain of stores that ran along this block, but she wasn't really looking. All she was seeing were doors-like her closet-portals-

"Jenny?" Audrey had to physically step in front of her to get her attention.

"Sorry," Jenny said once she realized she had missed Audrey's question.

"You look pale."

"I didn't get much sleep."

There was an awkward pause where the reason hung in the air thick enough to choke them.

"Do we have a plan?" Audrey finally asked. "Besides…pointless posters?"

Oh Jenny wanted to say yes. Jenny wanted to admit of the only plan she had been thinking of-had been denying herself was the only way-But she didn't. Instead, she just numbly shook her head in silence right as Summer burst out from the store.

"Guess what? That guy own the next two stores, so we can post our posters in them, too!"

Audrey was the one to shake off the tension and give Summer a nice pat on the shoulder. "Good job, Sun Bunny. But I'm getting hungry."

"Oh, me too! What about you, Jenny?"

Jenny forced herself to speak. "Yeah. Maybe we should take a break."

"Let's finish this block, then we can get some grub."

Summer took the next store before they could even agree to it, leaving Jenny and Audrey to the next store. When they came back out, Summer was waiting for them.

"Let's hang them in there," she said a bit too hastily, pointing to a door just down the street.

Jenny barely gave the place a glance, a store just ahead of them; A store Jenny hadn't really seen before. Well, they never were in this part of town much. It was just another door in the chain, with a plain simple sign above it that read, _More Games_. "Summer, that one doesn't have windows."

"But we can hang it on the door, can't we?"

"I thought we were getting food?"

"But it's the last one!"

Audrey sighed. "Fine. Let's go ask the owner."

Jenny followed her friends as they casually walked inside the building. They were right; there were no windows, leaving the store a musky and covered in shadows. Many tall bookshelves filled the room, covered in all sorts of exotic games.

Summer immediately went on a search, shouting, "Excuse me! Hello?" to which Audrey followed her, shushing her to be quiet.

Jenny mindlessly began to follow the bookcases. The shelves were really stock-full of all sorts of things. She knew she shouldn't have, but she inevitably thought of all the times in Joteunhiem, and Hel and all the other dimensions Julian had brought her to-of all the crazy things he showed her. She saw a game involving a troll much like the ice ones Julian had shown her when she was ten, for some kind of Dungeons and Dragons game. On the next shelf was something in another language that Jenny only recognized as Norse, like all the runes. She heard Audrey and Summer talking somewhere behind her, but she kept walking, kept searching for the details in all the cases and covers.

Jenny soon found herself in the back of the shop, surrounded by the tall busy shelves. The next one that caught her was purely gold. She had to stop and really look at the box in order to make out the details. There was no description of the game, just figures in squares, placed one after the other, like a story. Jenny recognized it a bit, but she couldn't tell from where. She looked closer, seeing six figures facing one separate figure. Then it was only one figure in the next box, then some kind of mess in the next, then two figures in the third.

It was the second Jenny recognized the game as some sort of Egyptian chase, that she realized what was going on. The second she did, she felt her gut drop to her toes. Chills covered her arms in a heartbeat as the inevitable feeling of someone looking at her crashed over her in waves. It was just like the beginning of the game, when she knew he was staring and she knew he was there but she just couldn't bring herself to turn around.

Because he couldn't-The rules prevented such a thing-He couldn't get to her directly-But her friends had chosen to come in here, not Jenny.

Slowly, Jenny turned, and there at the end of the bookcase was Julian. He was wearing a rather nice black shirt with the few first buttons undone, exposing his pale smooth collar bone. His jeans were black, tight-fitting, and matched with a pair of shiny black boots. His face was half masked in shadows, making those sapphire eyes of his glow at Jenny even from the distance. Pretty plain for what Julian usually dressed to, but at the moment it was more than enough to affect Jenny. She felt the breath leave her lungs, and the strength fade from her knees, threatening them to buckle-

But the only reason she didn't collapse was the look on Julian's face. It was subtle, very calm. Just the slightest curve of affection in his lips, like she was a dear friend he hadn't seen in a while. He wasn't smirking, wasn't even mocking her with his gaze. He was just _looking _at her, taking her in as if this was the first time they had met all over again.

Jenny could only stare at him, to blink and think and _breathe_, until her mind accepted this moment as real-as not another dream. And the pain from that realization stabbed her between the ribs, only making it harder to breathe.

She couldn't move when he approached her. Slowly, one step at a time, as if not to spook her. With every step the world shrunk around them. He came until he was mere inches away, until he was leaning over her and Jenny had to tilt her head slightly to hold his gaze. He didn't reach for her. He didn't even say anything. He just continued to gaze upon her, wondrously, _contently_, until he was buried inside her mind, her very _being_.

For so long, they stood there. Stuck like that, in each other's presence _for so long_, with eyes as green as the Nile meeting with ones as blue as ice. Jenny didn't realize how long it really had been until the third voice spoke, feminine, familiar-Summer.

"Maybe they're closed or something…."

That's when the fear slipped in. The fear of her friends seeing him-them together like this; the fear of this moment ending-Julian leaving-

Julian moved, probably to glance in the direction of her friend's whereabouts in the store, or perhaps he was just shrugging, but to Jenny's terrified mind, he was moving to _leave,_ to vanish, to disappear from her life all over again. The fear struck Jenny so bad that she was clinging to his arm in the next second. His gaze was back on her in a flash, widened, surprised. Then his hand was overs hers and he pulled-

Jenny found herself in his arms, guiltily enjoying the embrace of the man-the demon that had toyed with her friends, had taken her boyfriend hostage-_still _had her boyfriend. She knew, she felt the tang of shame, but this pain-this bittersweet longing pain-overpowered it, leaving her there in the crook of his neck, choking on his scent, basking in his warmth.

He was cradling her head, fingers digging into her hair as he held her like she was going to fall. No, like he was the one going to fall; to collapse and shatter into pieces if he let go of her just the slightest bit, as if his very life depended on it. Jenny felt it, the raw desire, the **need** to have her in his embrace like this, and it only made the pain worse. It was all so confusing-so muddled now. Jenny was tired of it.

Tired of lying to herself. Tired of feeling like this. She was done with dealing all the consequences, all the what-ifs, worrying over the risks. She had never worried about them before. Julian never let her.

Thus, Jenny slowly felt the fear begin to fade. Odd, how the man who controlled fear, who was supposed to breathe it to life inside everyone, was the one person to make her feel so safe. That's why jenny didn't budge when she heard her friends beginning to get worried somewhere else in the store. She knew Julian had them blocked off somehow, hidden by a bookcase that there was no way for them to find the two of them like this, to break this moment.

Yet, it was hearing Audrey's phone go off, the high pitch cheerful ringtone that seemed to snap something in the air. The silence, now replaced with the confused stutters of her friend, ruined this mystical atmosphere. Jenny began to take notice of how long she was gone from her friends, holding onto the Shadow Man that had nearly killed them all instead of searching for Tom who they all knew was nowhere they could reach.

Then Audrey was screaming.

"Oh my God-Oh my God-Oh-Where? Is-Is he ok? Oh my-Jenny! Summer, they found him. They _found _him!"

It took Jenny a full second to understand, and when she did, she felt ready to faint.

She wanted to pull away, to look Julian in the eyes and confirm Audrey's continued shouts of relief, but the Prince of Shadows only squeezed her tighter to him. In fact, he squeezed her so hard that she couldn't summon the breath to question him.

Soon, his lips were in her ear, low and serious, yet somehow so hushed that it filled Jenny's blood with electricity. "I'm not asking this time."

Oh.

Oh God.

Jenny's knees finally gave in under her, but she didn't fall. Julian took her, all of her weight, holding her up so easily. Before Jenny knew it, she was off the ground, hoisted up by the Shadow Man like a bride. She still clung to his neck, but now she was looking at him, at the determination in his eyes, into the lack of patience that Jenny knew all too well.

Somewhere in the store a door closed and Jenny knew her friends had left, probably to search for her outside, to tell her the news of Tom's return. Only they weren't going to find her. Jenny knew, and there was absolutely nothing she could do about it now.

Jenny didn't realize she was crying until the tears were dripping off her chin. Oh, but she wasn't sad. No, perhaps a better word for it was relieved. How simply it was all fixed. How quickly it was over-Finally over.

She was relieved she didn't have to try and explain this feeling to her friends; to try and get them to understand this longing for this exact moment-to be in this demon's arms once more. There was no painful goodbye or guilt-tripping arguments. Of course they wouldn't understand her disappearance. They wouldn't know that she hadn't fought the Shadow Man from taking her, but none of it mattered now.

Without another word, Julian tucked her head into the crook of his neck and began to carry her. He went straight to the very back of the store, to the door behind the counter that would take them home. Yes, home. Their home. Together, at last.

**The end! I feel kinda bad that I couldn't come up with a more dramatic or spectacular ending than this, but I am content with the bittersweet moment I came up with. I hope you guys like it, and I hope the journey and waiting was worth it. Please comment with any questions or critics of any kind. I really am thankful for the advice, it helps me in the future (hopefully). I know my grammar isn't the best though Dx Anyway, thank you guys so much for sticking with me in this story and I hope to see you guys in the near future with more of my JennyxJulian fanifcs!**

**Till my next update!**

**ZVA**


End file.
